Last night two fighter jets took off from the base in Grosseto to intercept a commercial airliner and defend the security of the national airspace. The event activated the air defense system by initiating the ‘scramble’ procedure, which means the immediate takeoff of fighter jets from the Italian Air Force on alert duty in the national territory.
At 22:14, the CAOC-TJ (Combined Air Operation Center of Torrejon), the NATO agency responsible for the sector, ordered the “scramble”. The two Eurofighter jets, launched from the airport of Grosseto in a very short time, under the control of the air defense radars provided by the Air Force, performed the interception procedure in contact with the National Government Authority (NGA). Once the landing of the commercial aircraft by the NGA was verified, the order to return to the base was communicated to the two Eurofighters of the 4th Flight.
All the activities, as well as the procedures (national and NATO) for the continuous surveillance and control of airspace, have proven to be effective, as well as being promptly and professionally carried out. The Air Force ensures the surveillance of the national airspace 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, with an integrated defense system, since the time of peace, along with that of the other countries belonging to NATO. The service is guaranteed by the 4th Squadron of Grosseto, the 36th Squadron of Gioia del Colle and the 37th Squadron of Trapani with Eurofighter fighter aircraft.
