The flight test campaign in Italy of the Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle Neuron has been successfully concluded with the achievement of all established goals
thus allowing an important step forward for the program
The Neuron is the European full-scale technological demonstrator for an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) developed by an industrial team led by Dassault Aviation with the collaboration of Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi
The aircraft has been deployed at the Italian Air Force's Decimomannu Air Base
where it has fulfilled a series of important operational tests
the 12 highly sensitive sorties have allowed to verify the characteristics of Neuron’s combat capability
its low radar-cross section and low infrared signature
during missions flown at different altitudes and flight profiles and against both ground-based and air radar “threats”
During the deployment in Italy the Neuron has confirmed its already ascertained excellent performance and high operational reliability
the next testing phase will be run in Sweden
where tests of low observability and use of weapon delivery from the aircraft’s Weapon Bay will be carried out.
The demonstrator’s development activity is an important step in the technology maturation process of the acquired technology
mitigating the level of risk of future investments for UAS in Europe and moving towards systems’ development for operational uses
13 May 2023 – During the two days dedicated to aerospace
the United Kingdom joins the nations that have already chosen the International Flight Training School for the operational training of their military pilots During today morning session
as part of the second day of work at the AeroSpace Power Conference
the Italian Air Force and the Royal Air Force (RAF) signed an agreement for the training (Phase IV) of Student Pilots and Instructor Pilots at the International Flight Training School of Decimomannu (CA)
The arrival of the first two British Student Pilots at the IFTS is scheduled for July and by 2023 there will be four RAF pilots in Sardinia
This agreement substantially reaffirms what was stated on 11 May in Decimomannu by the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force
on the occasion of the presentation of the new IFTS campus: “Through this international structure we have demonstrated that we are leaders in the flight training sector
The new campus is spread over a total area of 130,000 square meters (equal to 18 football fields) and can count on modern and technologically advanced infrastructures starting from the Ground Based Training System (GBTS)
The International Flight Training School (IFTS) is an Italian excellence of international value
the result of the collaboration between the Air Force and Leonardo as well as a reference point for the advanced training of military pilots of the air forces from all over the world who fly on technologically advanced
such as the Eurofighter or F-35 aircraft for example
The first courses based on Decimomannu already started in July 2022
also foreign students from countries such as Qatar
Indo Defence – Jakarta – 11-14 June
DSEI – London – 9-12 September
PARTNER – Belgrade – 23-26 September
Seafuture – La Spezia – 29 Sept.-2 October
ADEX – Seoul – 29 October-2 November
Dubai Air Show – Dubai – 17-21 November
Milipol Paris – Paris – 18-21 Novenber
Expodefensa – Bogotá – 1-3 December
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Eleven months after the signature of the collaboration agreement between Leonardo and the Italian Air Force for the establishment of the International Flight Training School
new details emerged at a briefing held in the Leonardo static area at Le Bourget
provided in-depth details on the current situation as well as on the future of the IFTS programme
Currently three IFTS T-346 aircraft are based at the Galatina Air Force Base
the Air Force having completed the training of the first two civil instructor pilots
Many of those are coming from the Italian Air Force
although the position is open to foreign personnel
a French former military pilot being part of the six
“The Italian Air Force will maintain the control over the final product,” Col
“as we are defining the requirement for being accepted to the qualification course
and we control the IFTS training syllabus.” When the IFTS programme will reach the FOC the aim is to have 40% Italian Air Force instructor versus 60% civil instructors
The first IFTS training course should start in late 2019
no indication being yet available if this will target a European or a Middle East “customer”
the IFTS Step 2 will see the Phase IV – Phase V training
home of the RSSTA (the Italian acronym for the Italian Air Force Aerial Firing Standardization Experimental Unit) which is also the home of the ACMI (Air Combat Manoeuvring Installation)
The Decimomannu base was identified as the optimal location due to a number of reasons
which helps to support high training volumes
while the weather is favourable to flight operations for most of the time
Close to the base there are air-to-air and air-to-ground live firing ranges allowing advanced training missions
while a dedicated airspace favours advanced training operations
the base is used to host numerous multinational exercises
which gives the opportunity to merge the IFTS training activity with the ongoing manoeuvres
The T-346 allows carrying out Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) training
the latter having been developed following a modular approach: it is made of a standard set that all trainees have to follow
those being selected by nations according to their needs
The LVC is an area with considerable growth potential
in 2018 a number of different platforms having been linked
the federation of existing simulations having also been tested
To be capable to host the IFTS the base will undergo a full modernisation
a new maintenance and logistic centre being built
including new maintenance hangars and a new flight line dedicated to the IFTS aircraft
Facilities will be built to host the ground based training system
which will include spaces for the simulators
two full mission simulators and two part task simulators being currently on order
An area will be dedicated to accommodation
100 apartments being planned together with a canteen and an Air Force Club
as well as sports facilities including a gymnasium and a swimming pool
The infrastructures are designed to cope with increasing training capabilities
When reaching its FOC the IFTS will see deployed 22 T-346
and will be capable to provide Phase IV courses to over 70 pilots per year
for a total of more than 8,000 flight hours
It is to note that the Italian Air Force is already providing training to numerous other nations
50 individuals from nine countries being currently in Galatina to follow pilot or instructor pilot courses
The IFTS staff is in contact with numerous other nations
mostly Europe an and from the Middle East
which are interested in the Italian initiative
The plan is to move the Phase IV to Decimomannu by 2021
considering that in 2020 the T-345 trainer will start being deployed to Galatina
consolidating the Basic Training Centre of Excellence that will carry out Phase II and Phase III training
the FOC will be reached quite fast once the IFTS will move to Sardinia
the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force
and the Chief of Staff of the Swedish Air Force
signed an important document relating to the training of military pilots
with a connection between the offices of the two Generals
closed an agreement to send Swedish military pilots to flight training courses in Italy at the 61st Wing
both at a basic level (Phases 2 and 3 of the training path)
and at an advanced level (Phase 4) at the 212th IFTS Group (International Flight Training School)
The agreement provides for a constant inclusion of student pilots from the Swedish Air Force over the years
for a total of one hundred students and four instructor pilots
joins a large group of countries that over the last few years have chosen Italy for flight training
convinced by the excellence of the offer and training structures
both at Galatina and at Decimomannu’s IFTS: Austria
The International Flight Training School was born from the strategic collaboration between the Air Force and Leonardo S.p.a
for the creation of an advanced flight training center intended to constitute an international point of reference in the training of military pilots starting from Phase 4 (Advanced/Lead-In to Fighter Training)
based on the innovative T-346A Integrated Training System
particularly effective for training pilots for a wide range of latest generation fighters
expressed his satisfaction by declaring: “This is a further significant step for the safety of European skies: finding agreements and synergies between countries that share spaces and orientations is always productive
Working with Swedish colleagues will represent an opportunity for growth for both countries
This agreement also represents another fundamental piece for the IFTS project
in which the Country System is investing with trust
A project born thanks to the full and convinced support of the Ministry of Defense and which is also based on the profitable and proven synergy with Leonardo.”
“I am happy that the agreement has now been signed and that we have the necessary conditions to get started with qualified flight training that meets the requirements of the future,” says Air Force Chief Jonas Wikman
This Air Campus is an example of collaboration and synergy for the country system which aims to satisfy the growing demand of the Air Force and partner countries for the training of their pilots
The project will in fact make it possible to double the current training offer through the creation of a new training center distributed between the Galatina base and the Decimomannu base in Sardinia
It is a complex structure capable of hosting students and technical staff
logistics and maintenance infrastructure capable of managing a fleet of 22 T-346A aircraft
an entire building is dedicated to the highly advanced Ground Based Training System (GBTS)
a modern training system based on latest generation simulation systems
File photo courtesy Italian Air Force/Leonardo
An important Italian military airbase located on the island of Sardinia
this field is used by NATO air forces and others for gunnery training
The base has excellent facilities plus there is usually good flying weather
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