Monday 13 October, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Squadron General Antonio Conserva, and the Chief of the Croatian Air Force, Major General Michael Križanec, have signed an important technical agreement remotely, in Italy and Croatia, which provides for the sending of Croatian military pilots (two pilots a year for the next four years) to the courses flight training in Italy at the 212th IFTS (International Flight Training School), based in Decimomannu. These are, specifically, the advanced level courses corresponding to Phase 4 (Advanced/Lead-In to Fighter Training) of the training iteration envisaged for pilots destined to operate on combat lines“fighter”.
Croatia therefore joins the growing group of countries that have chosen to train their military pilots in Italy in recent years, thanks to the excellent training offered by the Italian Air Force, both at the Galatina base (home of the 61st Wing) and at IFTS in Decimomannu. The list of nations that have relied on Italian training includes: Saudi Arabia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Kuwait, Netherlands, Qatar, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Hungary and the United States.
The signing of the agreement is necessary to provide a regulatory, administrative, and procedural framework aimed at framing all activities related to the provision of Training to the Croatian Air Force personnel. The Understanding confirms the world-class level of excellence achieved by the Armed Force in this sector and is a further significant consolidation of cooperation with one of the NATO member states and of strategic interest for Defence.
The’International Flight Training School arises from the strategic collaboration between the Italian Air Force and Leonardo for the creation of an advanced flight training centre intended to become an international benchmark for military pilot training from Phase IV onwardsAdvanced/Lead-In to Fighter TrainingThe IFTS makes use of a Syllabus modular, highly versatile, centred on the innovative T-346A Integrated Training System, a system particularly effective for training pilots destined for a wide range of the latest generation fighters, including the F-35, the Eurofighter and Gryphon.
This real Air Campus It can accommodate students and technical staff, and is equipped with recreational areas, a canteen, sports facilities, and logistical-maintenance infrastructure capable of managing a fleet of 22 T-346A aircraft. Furthermore, an entire building is dedicated to the state-of-the-art Ground Based Training System (GBTS), a modern training system based on the latest generation of simulation systems. The aircraft and its integrated training system allow real and simulated activities to be conducted jointly, preparing future pilots for the most complex operational scenarios and maximising the quality and effectiveness of training outcomes.
