On Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October 2026, the Air Force participated in the FAI Autumn Days, opening to the public two different realities but united by their historical, cultural and operational value: the’Institute of Air Force Military Sciences of Florence and the weather radar post in Capo Caccia, in the territory of Alghero.
In Florence, ISMA welcomed over 1,300 Tuscan citizens, accompanied on a tour of the Institute’s historical rooms by military personnel, the “apprentices ciceroni” of the Zenit Course of the Military Air Force School “Giulio Douhet”, volunteers from the Italian Environmental Foundation (FAI), and members of the Association Arma Aeronautica – Florence Section.
The opening allowed for a close-up look at one of the most significant examples of Italian rationalist architecture. Designed by the architect Raffaello Fagnoni and built between 1937 and 1938, the complex preserves an architectural and artistic heritage of particular value. Among the elements of greatest interest are the Monumental Fountains and the statue of Italy by Bruno Catarzi, the sculpture by Mario Moschi at the entrance of the Aula Magna, the Fountain of Pegasus by Giorgio Gori in the Command Building and the Hall of Arms, along with the frescoes, historical furnishings and tapestries by important artists of the twentieth century.
Known by the people of Florence as the “School of Air Warfare”, the Institute has been a training center for leadership and future managers of the Air Force for over eighty-five years. Since 2006 it has also hosted the cadets and cadets of the Military Air Force School “Giulio Douhet”.
In Sardinia, the extraordinary opening of the meteorological radar post at Capo Caccia offered visitors the opportunity to access a site normally not open to the public and to learn about the activities carried out daily by the staff of the Italian Air Force in favor of the community.
Located approximately 200 meters above sea level, on the summit of the Capo Caccia promontory, the station is dedicated to meteorological observation and the monitoring of the atmosphere and is part of the Experimental and Standardization Department of Air Shooting (RSSTA), based in Decimomannu. During the visits, the instruments and procedures used to measure the main atmospheric parameters, including temperature, humidity, pressure and wind characteristics, as well as the systems for controlling fine dust and air radioactivity, were explained.
The two initiatives have allowed for the enhancement of complementary aspects of the Italian Air Force: on the one hand, the historical and architectural heritage and the educational role of the Florentine Institute; on the other, the specialized expertise and the contribution of meteorological observation activities. An opportunity to strengthen the bond between the Armed Forces, the territory, and the citizens, fostering knowledge of places, professions, and skills that are part of its history and daily commitment.
