At Amendola, initiatives for maintenance sharing and technical interoperability among nations participating in the F35A Programme continue. In recent days, Italian and US maintenance personnel qualified to operate on the F35 aircraft have worked in synergy as part of an initiative that includes joint training pathways, unique and centralised technical support for the global fleet, and the sharing of technical manuals among the Armed Forces of the various countries adhering to the programme. All these activities provide new impetus to the Armed Forces operating the F35A aircraft. This highlights the achievement of An important result not only for the Italian Air Force, but also a significant increase in capacity for the entire Defence sector.
There are, in fact, many proposals aiming to achieve the ambitious objective of one day seeing F35 aircraft from other nations (Norway, Great Britain, the United States, etc.) prepared for flight and also, possibly, repaired by technical personnel of the Italian Air Force and vice versa.
In the international landscape, the 32nd Wing Amendola represents an undisputed excellence in the Mediterranean area for the employment of 5th generation assets. A reality that allows the Foggia department to catalyse, on multiple occasions, the attention of allied countries promoting initiatives aimed at achieving joint training for personnel operating in both technical and operational fields.
In particular, during the last event, the American maintenance staff belonging to the 495th Fighter Squadron, permanently redeployed in England at the RAF base of Lakenheath, was able to operate on Italian aircraft of 13th Flying Group, assisting with pre-flight, refuelling, and post-flight inspection operations of the F-35A.
It was thus possible to standardise maintenance techniques and procedures which have allowed to make a leap forward on that already embarked-upon path, which will allow the coalition countries to mutual support in ensuring the operational capability of the F35A fleet.
On this occasion, during which it was possible to practice particularly in preparation for future and increasingly ambitious implementations of this type, the personnel belonging to the two respective“Squadron”he exchanged the identification patch of his unit, thus symbolically sealing the agreement reached.
Evocative, and never more pertinent to the circumstance, is the message that the Americans wanted to include on the lithograph they gifted to the Italians: “
Thank you for your support in being able to demonstrate the interoperability capabilities between the Air Force and the Royal Air Force, thereby promoting our international relationship and common goals“.
In fact, aerial exercises and operations themselves are increasingly organised in a multinational context, so joint training and the identification of any advantages for mutual support are of fundamental importance for increasing the utilisation rate of the Weapon System.
