Amazing Italian Air Force AM.
On 28 March 1923, the Italian Air Force was founded as an independent service by King Vittorio Emanuele III of the Kingdom of Italy. This air force was known as the Regia Aeronautica (Royal Air Force). During the 1930s, the fledgling Regia Aeronautica was involved in its first military operations, first in Ethiopia in 1935, and later in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939
A popular vote by the people resulted in the end of the Kingdom of Italy and the establishment of the Italian Republic on 18 June 1946. Hence the Regia Aeronautica lost its "Royal" designation, and it became the Aeronautica Militare, a name that it has continued to hold ever since.
The Peace Treaty of Paris of 1947 placed severe restrictions on all of the Italian armed forces, but the establishment of NATO in 1949 with Italy as a founding member brought about the necessity for the modernization of all of the Italian armed forces, including the Italian Air Force. American military aid sent by the Mutual Defense Assistance Program brought about the introduction of American-made P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang propeller-driven fighter planes. In 1952, the Italian Air Force was granted jet fighters for the first time, American F-84G Thunderjets and F-86D Sabres, together with over 200 licence-built British de Havilland Vampires; these were followed by Republic F-84F Thunderstreak fighters and C-119 Flying Boxcar transport planes from the United States. The reborn Italian aviation industry also began to develop and produce a few indigenous aircraft designs of its own, such as the Fiat G91, the Aermacchi MB-326, the Piaggio Aero P.166 and the line of Agusta-Bell helicopters.
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Founded | 28 March 1923; 101 years ago |
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Country |
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Type | Air force |
Role | Aerial warfare |
Size |
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Part of | Italian Armed Forces |
Patron | Madonna di Loreto |
Motto(s) |
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March | Marcia di Ordinanza dell'Aeronautica Militare (Ordinance March of the Air Force) by Alberto Di Miniello |
Anniversaries | 28 March (Air Force Day) |
Website | www![]() |
Commanders | |
Chief of Staff of Air Force | Generale di squadra aerea Luca Goretti |
Insignia | |
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Roundel Low Visibility | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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As of 2014, the Italian Air Force operates a total active fleet of 557 aerial vehicles, including 209 manned and 12 unmanned combat aircraft, with eight more Eurofighter Typhoon on order and 75 more F-35s planned
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IThe capability of the Italian Air Force as a transportation unit has been improved with the acquisition of 22 American C-130J tactical transports and 12 Alenia C-27J Spartans, which have replaced all of the G222s. In 2003, the Italian Air Force extended its capabilities to small-scale land warfare by small special-forces units. This was accomplished by forming the 17º Stormo Incursori ("17th Special Operations Wing"), also known as RIAM (Reparto Incursori Aeronautica Militare, "Air Force Raiders Group"), a unit that is primarily responsible for raids on land-based aeronautical compounds, forward air control missions and combat search and rescue operations
The Belgian Air Component Is The Air Arm Of The Belgian Armed Forces.
The Vickers VC10 is a mid-sized, narrow-body long-range British jet airliner.
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Role | Executive transport |
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National origin | Italy |
Manufacturer | Piaggio Aero |
First flight | 23 September 1986 |
Introduction | 30 September 1990 |
Status | In production |
Primary users | Italian Air Force Italian Army Italian Navy Avantair (historical) |
Produced | 1986–present |
Number built | 246 (Dec 2020) |
Performance