List of active Italian military aircraft explained

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

See main article: Italian Air Force.

Current inventory

AircraftOriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes
Combat Aircraft
EurofighterUK
Germany
Italy
Spain
Multirole
Operational conversion
F-2000A
TF-2000A
79
14
A total of 96 Typhoons were ordered, of which 3 were lost in accidents. Currently 93 Typhoons are in service. 24 new Typhoons have been ordered in 2024.
TornadoUK
Germany
Italy
Multirole
Electronic warfare
Operational conversion
IDS
ECR
IDS
28[1]
13[2]
5
Will be replaced by F-35A
F-35 Lightning IIUSA
Italy
MultiroleF-35A
F-35B
27[3]
4
60 ordered
15 ordered
AWACS
Gulfstream G550United States / IsraelAEWG550 AEW2
Reconnaissance
Super King AirUnited StatesSIGINT3502
Electronic Warfare
Alenia C-27JItalyElectronic warfare 3
Maritime patrol
ATR 72France / ItalyASW / patrolP-72AS4
Tanker
Boeing KC-767United StatesAerial refueling 4
KC-130 HerculesUnited StatesAerial refueling 3
Transport
Alenia C-27JItalyTransport 7
Piaggio P.180Italy611 on order
Airbus A319CJEuropean Union3[4]
Airbus A340-500European Union1[5] unused since 2018, parked and abandoned at Rome Fiumicino Airport, disputed ownership between Etihad Airways and the Air Force
Dassault Falcon 50France2[6]
Dassault Falcon 900France3[7]
C-130J Super HerculesUnited StatesTactical airlift8
Helicopter
AgustaWestland AW101Italy / United KingdomUtility / CSAR12
AgustaWestland AW139ItalyUtility / SAR30
Trainer aircraft
Alenia M-346ItalyAdvanced trainerT-346A21
Alenia M-345ItalyAdvanced trainer T-345A216 on order
Piaggio P.180ItalyMulti-engine trainer 7
Aermacchi MB-339ItalyJet trainer48
SIAI-Marchetti SF.260ItalyBasic trainer 29
McDonnell Douglas MD 500ItalyRotorcraft trainer NH-500M38licensed built by Breda Nardi
UAV
MQ-9A Predator BUnited StatesSurveillance5[8] 1× lost in an accident in 2019
Piaggio-Selex P.1HH HammerheadItalySurveillance6 on order[9]

Italian Army Aviation

See main article: Italian Army.

Current inventory

AircraftOriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes
Transport
Piaggio P.180Italytransport3[10]
Dornier Do 228Germanytransport3STOL capable aircraft
Helicopter
Agusta A129 MangustaItalyanti-armor59
Agusta Bell 206Italyutility30
Agusta Bell 205Italyutility55
Agusta-Bell 412United Statesutility / CASEVAC21licensed built by Agusta
Agusta-Bell 212United Statesutility 9licensed built by Agusta
Boeing CH-47 ChinookUnited Statestransport CH-47C/F22licensed built by Elicotteri Meridionali
NHIndustries NH90European Unionutility / transportUH-90A60[11]
AgustaWestland AW109Italyutility / scout15
AgustaWestland AW169Italyutility / trainer2
UAV
AAI RQ-7 ShadowUnited Statessurveillance164 TUAS ordered in 2010[12]

Italian Naval Aviation

See main article: Italian Navy.

Current inventory

AircraftOriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes
Combat Aircraft
AV-8B Harrier IIUnited Statesground attackAV-8B+14V/STOL capable aircraft
F-35 Lightning IIUnited StatesmultiroleF-35B615 on order
Transport
Piaggio P.180Italytransport3
Helicopter
AgustaWestland AW101Italy / United KingdomVERTREP / SAR174 dedicated for the AEW role
Agusta-Bell 212ItalyASW / utility 33licensed built by Agusta
NHIndustries NH90ASW / TransportNFH /TTH56
Trainer aircraft
AV-8B Harrier IIUnited Statesconversion trainer TAV-8B1V/STOL capable aircraft
UAV
Camcopter S-100Austriasurveillance2[13] [14]
Boeing Insitu ScanEagleUnited Statessurveillance 10[15]

Carabinieri

See main article: Carabinieri.

Aircraft[16] OriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes
Fixed-wing
Italypatrol
Helicopter
ItalySAR / utilitylicensed built by Agusta
Italyutility / patrol109A/E/Mk.II

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2024 World Air Forces directory. FlightGlobal .
  2. Web site: 2024 World Air Forces directory. FlightGlobal .
  3. Web site: Future Base, Expected FOC And More About The Italian F-35 Fleet. The Aviationist. 29 March 2023. April 7, 2023.
  4. Web site: AIRBUS A319CJ . Ministero della Difesa . Aeronautica Militare . 5 June 2017.
  5. Web site: This Airbus A340-500 is Italy's new Air Force One . The Aviationist . 30 June 2016 . 5 June 2017.
  6. Web site: FALCON 50 . Ministero della Difesa . Aeronautica Militare . 5 June 2017.
  7. Web site: FALCON 900EX . Ministero della Difesa . Aeronautica Militare . 5 June 2017.
  8. Web site: MQ-9A PREDATOR B . Ministero della Difesa . Aeronautica Militare . 5 June 2017.
  9. Web site: 'Aeronautica "cliente di lancio" del Piaggio P.1HH . Analisi Difesa . italian . 5 June 2017.
  10. Web site: World Air Forces 2021. Flightglobal Insight . 2021 . 2 August 2021. registration.
  11. Book: AirForces Monthly. February 2023. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 10.
  12. Web site: AAI to Provide Shadow Unmanned Aircraft to Italian Army. 21 July 2010 . 4 June 2017.
  13. Web site: The Aviationist » The Italian Navy is testing a tiny Camcopter drone from its amphibious warfare ship. The Aviationist. 31 May 2014 . 24 December 2014.
  14. Web site: Messaggio Forum. Regiamarinaitaliana.forumgratis.org. 24 December 2014.
  15. Web site: Insitu: contract with the Italian Navy for ScanEagle UAS aircraft delivery. 28 March 2014. Avionews.it.
  16. Web site: SERVIZIO AEREO CARABINIERI . aviazione-italiana.it . 28 July 2017.