Here are the photos of the Italian Eurofighter Typhoons departing for their first Red Flag exercise

Published on: February 19, 2016 at 9:18 PM

Eight Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon are about to attend Exercise Red Flag 16-2.

On Feb. 19, seven Italian Air Force Typhoon jets left Grosseto airbase, Italy,  for Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, where they will attend Ex. RF 16-2, their first ever Red Flag.

The Aviationist’s photographer Giovanni Maduli was there to take the images you can find in this post.

Red Flag departure 1

The aircraft, belonging to the 4° Stormo, based at Grosseto, and 36° Stormo (Wing) based at Gioia del Colle – even though personnel taking part in the mission come from all the units flying the Typhoon, including the 37° Stormo based at Trapani, will join the two-seater Eurofighter that took part in the “F-35 trail,” accompanying the first Italian JSF in the type’s first transatlantic crossing.

Red Flag departure 2

The aircraft, divided into two flights, are supported by two KC-767A tankers from the 14° Stormo and three C-130J Super Hercules with the 46^ Brigata Aerea (Air Brigade) from Pisa.

Red Flag departure 3

This is the very first participation of the ItAF Typhoon fleet to the Red Flag exercise, even though the aircraft have taken part in real combat operations in Libya and have undertaken air defense duties in Iceland and the Baltic States.

Red Flag departure 4

The F-2000s (as the aircraft are designated in Italy) will focus in the air-to-air role during RF 16-2, employing the Typhoon’s latest software package and the HMDS (Helment Mounted Display System).

Red Flag departure 5

Red Flag departure 6

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David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.
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