Coat of Arms of the Italian Armed Forces

The following is a list of military aircraft currently used by the four branches of the Italian Armed Forces: Italian Army, Italian Navy, Italian Air Force, and Carabinieri.

Air Force

Main article: Italian Air Force

Current inventory

A Eurofighter Typhoon landing at Rivolto Air Base
An Italian HH139 during Trident Juncture 2015
A C-130J departs RIAT Fairford July 2014
A NH-500E lands at Rome Viterbo Airport
A Piaggio P180 Avanti on approach at RIAT 2011
A HH-101A Caesar
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
Panavia Tornado European Union multirole IDS 28[1] employs variable-sweep wing design
Panavia Tornado European Union multirole ECR 13[1]
Eurofighter Typhoon European Union multirole 80[1]
F-35 Lightning II United States multirole F-35A
F-35B 		20[2]
2[2] 		60 on order[2]
15 on order[2]
AMX International Italy / Brazil ground attack 19[1]
AWACS
Gulfstream G550 United States / Israel AEW G550 AEW 2[1]
Reconnaissance
Super King Air United States SIGINT 350 2[1]
Electronic Warfare
Alenia C-27J Italy electronic warfare 3[1]
Maritime patrol
ATR 72 France / Italy ASW / patrol P-72AS 4[1]
Tanker
Boeing KC-767 United States aerial refueling 4[1]
KC-130 Hercules United States aerial refueling KC-130J 3
Transport
Alenia C-27J Italy transport 7[1]
Piaggio P.180 Italy VIP 6 11 on order[1]
Airbus A319CJ European Union VIP 3[3]
Airbus A340-500 European Union VIP 1[4]
Dassault Falcon 50 France VIP 2[5]
Dassault Falcon 900 France VIP 3[6]
C-130J Super Hercules United States tactical airlift 8[1]
Helicopter
Agusta-Bell 212 Italy utility 28[1] licensed built by Agusta
AgustaWestland AW101 Italy / United Kingdom utility / CSAR 12[1]
AgustaWestland AW139 Italy utility / SAR 30[1]
Trainer aircraft
AMX International Italy conversion trainer AMX-T 5[1]
Panavia Tornado European Union conversion trainer IDS 5[1]
Alenia M-346 Italy advanced trainer T-346A 21[1]
Alenia M-345 Italy advanced trainer T-345A 2 16 on order[1]
Piaggio P.180 Italy multi-engine trainer 7[1]
Aermacchi MB-339 Italy jet trainer 48[1]
SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 Italy basic trainer 29[1]
McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Italy rotorcraft trainer NH-500M 38[1] licensed built by Breda Nardi
UAV
MQ-9A Predator B United States surveillance 6[7]
Piaggio-Selex P.1HH Hammerhead Italy surveillance 6 on order[8]

Italian Army Aviation

Main article: Italian Army

Current inventory

A Mangusta air display at RIAT 2005
A Dornier Do-228 of the Italian Army
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Transport
Piaggio P.180 Italy transport 3[9]
Dornier Do 228 Germany transport 3[9] STOL capable aircraft
Helicopter
Agusta A129 Italy anti-armor 59[9]
Agusta Bell 206 Italy utility 30
Agusta Bell 205 Italy utility 55
Agusta-Bell 412 United States utility / CASEVAC 21[9] licensed built by Agusta
Agusta-Bell 212 United States utility 9[9] licensed built by Agusta
Boeing CH-47 Chinook United States transport CH-47C/F 22 licensed built by Elicotteri Meridionali
NHIndustries NH90 European Union utility / transport UH-90A 60[10]
AgustaWestland AW109 Italy utility / scout 15[9]
AgustaWestland AW169 Italy utility / trainer 2
UAV
AAI RQ-7 Shadow United States surveillance 16 4 TUAS ordered in 2010[11]

Italian Naval Aviation

Main article: Italian Navy

Current inventory

An Italian AV-8B Harrier II+
An AW101 over the aircraft carrier Cavour
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
AV-8B Harrier II United States ground attack AV-8B+ 14[9] V/STOL capable aircraft
F-35 Lightning II United States multirole F-35B 3[2] 15 on order[2]
Transport
Piaggio P.180 Italy transport 3[9]
Helicopter
AgustaWestland AW101 Italy / United Kingdom VERTREP / SAR 17[9] 4 dedicated for the AEW role
Agusta-Bell 212 Italy ASW / utility 33[9] licensed built by Agusta
NHIndustries NH90 European union ASW / Transport NFH /TTH 56
Trainer aircraft
AV-8B Harrier II United States conversion trainer TAV-8B 1[9] V/STOL capable aircraft
UAV
Camcopter S-100 Austria surveillance 2[12][13]
Boeing Insitu ScanEagle United States surveillance 10[14]

Carabinieri

Main article: Carabinieri
An Agusta-Bell 412
Aircraft[15] Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Fixed-wing
Piaggio P180 Avanti Italy patrol Avanti II
Helicopter
Agusta-Bell AB412 Italy SAR / utility 412SP/HP licensed built by Agusta
AgustaWestland AW109 Italy utility / patrol 109A/E/Mk.II

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "2024 World Air Forces directory". FlightGlobal.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Future Base, Expected FOC And More About The Italian F-35 Fleet". The Aviationist. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  3. ^ "AIRBUS A319CJ". Ministero della Difesa. Aeronautica Militare. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  4. ^ "This Airbus A340-500 is Italy's new Air Force One". The Aviationist. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  5. ^ "FALCON 50". Ministero della Difesa. Aeronautica Militare. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  6. ^ "FALCON 900EX". Ministero della Difesa. Aeronautica Militare. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  7. ^ "MQ-9A PREDATOR B". Ministero della Difesa. Aeronautica Militare. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  8. ^ "'Aeronautica "cliente di lancio" del Piaggio P.1HH". Analisi Difesa (in Italian). Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "World Air Forces 2021". Flightglobal Insight. 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  10. ^ AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. February 2023. p. 10.
  11. ^ "AAI to Provide Shadow Unmanned Aircraft to Italian Army". Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  12. ^ "The Aviationist » The Italian Navy is testing a tiny Camcopter drone from its amphibious warfare ship". The Aviationist. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  13. ^ "Messaggio Forum". Regiamarinaitaliana.forumgratis.org. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  14. ^ "Insitu: contract with the Italian Navy for ScanEagle UAS aircraft delivery". Avionews.it. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  15. ^ "SERVIZIO AEREO CARABINIERI". aviazione-italiana.it. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
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