Entered service in 1989, it was The Italian Air Force's most widely used aero-tactical aircraft in operations outside national borders

Tomorrow, vFriday 5 April, at the’aAirport Military in Istrana TV – home of the 51st Fighter Wing – the Air Force will bid farewell to the AMX fighter jet, which is being “retired” after 35 years of intensive service both at home and abroad.

At the ceremony, presided over by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Force General Luca Goretti, top military authorities and numerous local dignitaries will be in attendance, as well as a representation of personnel who, in various capacities, have had the honour and opportunity to operate the AMX, one of the aircraft that has characterised the recent history of the Air Force and the most widely used air-tactical jet by the Armed Force in missions outside national borders.

Assigned to the Italian Air Force in 1989, specifically to the 103rd Flight Group in Istrana, the AMX aircraft has operated in various theatres, including the Balkans, Libya, Afghanistan, and Iraq, experiencing climates ranging from the arctic cold of Norway and Canada to the deserts of Kuwait. Its contribution on a national level has also been significant, where it has been employed in valuable photographic reconnaissance missions as part of the support provided by the Defence in cases of emergencies and public disasters, such as earthquakes and floods, or even in support of operations to combat illegal activities within the country.

On the occasion, the ten MB-339s of the National Aerobatic Team will also be present at the Treviso airbase, for one of the last training sessions away from their home base in Rivolto, Friuli, before the start of the 2024 aerobatic season. An important year, which will see the Frecce Tricolori as protagonists not only in Italy but also with a tour in North America, after which they will return to perform more than 30 years after the last time.