F-35B: Three Italian Navy pilots at the 32nd Wing qualified as Limited Combat Ready

The training process for three Military Navy officer pilots, who have achieved the “Limited Combat Ready” qualification on the F-35B weapons system, concluded in recent days at Amendola Air Base, home of the 32nd Wing of the Air Force.

In support of the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) programme management, and with the aim of continuing the Italian Navy's training process, the two Armed Forces have established a synergy aimed at completing the training of Navy pilots who had previously begun the basic module (ground school) at the US Marine Corps base in Beaufort, USA.

The Italian Air Force therefore took on this complex requirement to facilitate collaboration between Defence components, while safeguarding the operational, training and exercise activities in which the 32nd Wing personnel are engaged.

For the delivery of the qualification course, both the AM and the MM indeed dedicated a team of instructor pilots and technical personnel coordinated by the Training Support and Standardisation Centre (CSAS) of the 32nd Wing. During the course, the attending pilots participated in various flight activities and different types of missions, reaching the planned level of preparedness for the deployment of the 5th generation aircraft in the Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) version.

Collaboration between the two Armed Forces continues without interruption, representing a valuable opportunity within the process of standardising Techniques, Tactics and Procedures (TTPs) to share the experience gained by the Air Force on the F-35 weapon system. This will continue with a new qualification course for two other MM pilots, which began a few weeks ago at the same Amendola base. Following the achievement of LCR (Limited Combat Readiness), training is continuing, as agreed, at the operational flight groups of the respective Armed Forces.

The 32nd Wing is subordinate to the Combat Forces Command (CFC) in Milan, whose assigned mission is to acquire and maintain the operational readiness of all air defence, attack and reconnaissance units, ensuring the operational efficiency of weapon systems, equipment and materiel, as well as personnel training and the constant updating and optimisation of operational procedures, in compliance with the guidelines of superior authorities. The CFC is subordinate to the Air Squad Command, which has responsibility for the training, preparation and operational readiness of its units, so that they may acquire and maintain the prescribed levels of operational readiness. After achieving Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in 2018, since 2019 the 32nd Wing has participated in NATO Air Policing operations outside national borders. Since February 2020, it has been the only unit in Europe to jointly operate both the F-35A (CTOL) and the F-35B (STOVL), contributing to the Air Force's Air Expeditionary capability. In addition, since January 2022, the 32nd Wing, with its 5th-generation aircraft, also performs NATO QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) service for the defence of the Atlantic Coalition's airspace. Furthermore, by operating MQ9-A Predator B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), the Wing conducts Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition & Reconnaissance (I.S.T.A.R.) operations, both national and coalition. With the MB-339 jets, the 32nd Wing also completes the training of RPA pilots to maintain an adequate operational level on traditionally piloted aircraft.