Historic Agreement First For Outside-U.S. Flight Training

The U.S. Air Force is sending its first-ever group of student pilots outside the country in a historic agreement with Italy, a NATO ally, to train at the International Flight Training School (IFTS) in Decimomannu, on the island of Sardinia, Italy.

The “Concept of Operations, or CONOPS, for Flight Training of USAF Military Personnel in Italy” was signed on August 22 by Lieutenant General Antonio Conserva, Italian Air Force Chief of Staff, and Lieutenant General Brian S. Robinson, Commander of the USAF Air Education & Training Command.

The agreement is the first time ever that the USAF has chosen a school outside the U.S., and within a NATO country, for initial pilot training.

The program is built around the Alenia Aermacchi T-346A aircraft that offers performance characteristics similar to the USAF’s upcoming T-7 trainer. It is an ideal platform for getting pilots prepared for next-gen fighter aircraft like the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning, Eurofighter Typhoon, and the Saab Gripen.

The first group of 10 U.S. student pilots will begin a 9-month training course based on the “Multiphase Jet Training Integrated Syllabus,” a curriculum developed jointly by the Italian and U.S. air forces. When finished, the pilots earn their Military Pilot License on the T-346A.

The IFTS campus is located in the Decimomannu Air Base and is managed by the 212th Flight Group, of the 61st Galatina Wing, and it combines modern infrastructure and advanced simulation technologies that support high-level pilot training.

FMI:  www.af.mil/