Tag Archives: Air Weapons Training Installation

A recent visit to Decimomannu airbase provided the opportunity to perform a quick walk around of the AV-8B+ and TAV-8B Harrier of the Marina Militare (Italian Navy, ItNy) deployed there to perform air-to-ground training in the Sardinian ranges. The aircraft belonged to the I GrupAer based in Grottaglie near Taranto. Note the MK76 25 lbs practice bomb attached to the pylons of the single seaters.

Even if it was initially expected to come to an end on Sept. 16, the German F-4 Phantoms of the JG71 detached to Decimomannu airbase, home of the ItAF AWTI (Air Weapons Training Installation) since Aug.2 headed back to Wittmund earlier, in the morning of Sept. 15 (although four examples remained in Sardinia for a few more days along with 2 A-4s of the BAe Systems). Giovanni Maduli was there once again on Sept. 15 to witness the departure of the (maybe) last German Phantoms deployment in Deci. Noteworthy, among the departing F-4s, the 38+46, wearing the special “swallows” markings on both sides of the fuselage (to “celebrate” the successful survival of the mighty “Rhino” to multiple bird strikes during a recent exercise) returned to landing for an unknown emergency shortly after departure.

Click on the image to open a high-resolution version of this picture taken at Decimomannu by Giovanni Maduli during the 50th Anniversary of the AWTI that will provide a lot of details about the Italian and German aircraft attending the event.

On Sept. 25, Decimomannu airbase in Sardinia, Italy, hosted the 50th Anniversary of the AWTI (Air Weapons Training Installation) that was established the NATO partnership of Italy, Germany, Great Britain and Canada. The AWTI exploits an ACMI (Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation) range where air-to-air missions and DACT (Dissimilar Air Combat Training) are remotely monitored and recorded, and an air-to-ground bombing range at Capo Frasca, where pilots can train dropping both dumb and smart weaponry. Currently, the base is mainly used by the aircraft belonging to the Italian and German Air Force that renewed the agreement for another 3 years even if it often hosts aircraft of other air forces involved in training campaigns and multinational exercises. The following pictures (including a sort of GAF F-4 walkaround) were taken by Giovanni Maduli on Sept. 24 (rehearsals) and Sept. 25.