On the afternoon of Sunday 23 February two Eurofighter aircraft del 4th Wing dell’Aeronautica Militare are scrambled from Grosseto, in technical jargon, “Scramble ”, to identify and guide an aircraft of the airline to land American Airlines, which had diverted its course due to a report of a suspected explosive device on board.
The two Eurofighters, having reached the aircraft, escorted it safely, allowing it to land without further problems at Rome Fiumicino airport around 5:30 PM.
The immediate take-off order was issued shortly after 4 p.m. by the CAOC (Combined Air Operations Centre) in Torrejon, Spain, body NATO area manager, under the control of the 11th Integrated Air Defence Missile Group (IADMG) of Poggio Renatico.
The Italian Air Force ensures 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, seamless surveillance of National Airspace, through a complex integrated air defence system that has been in place since peacetime with that of other NATO countries.
