Airforces - Demo Hornet

ITALIAN

FF

58 // AUGUST 2018 #365 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com

36° Stormo F-2000

rom the outset, the
Eurofighter Typhoon’s
development path
has included integrating
an air-to-surface capability
alongside the basic air-to-
air mission. This was not
simply to align with British and
German air arm requirements but
intended to exploit the jet’s potential
and win orders on the international
market. Today’s Typhoon is recognised
as a mature aircraft, able to excel in the air
superiority role and other missions, including
long-range attack and close air support (CAS).
Defence budgets are constantly being reduced
in most Western nations; it tasks the military
to do more with less. Operating multi-role
aircraft and weapons systems is no longer an
option, but an essential requirement. Of the
most advanced combat aircraft in production

• including the latest Russian and Chinese jets


• all offer a multi-role or swing-role function
  and this function is being specified by all
  customers in the market for new fighters.
  The Typhoon’s potential to utilise offensive
  armament dates back to 2008, when the
  so-called ‘austere’ air-to-ground capability

was implemented on the

Royal Air Force’s Tranche

1 Block 5 aircraft. First the

UK, then Saudi Arabia added

an attack competence on

its Tranche 2 jets, in 2011.

P1E programme

In 2007, the Eurofighter consortium

instigated the introduction of

swing-role capability across the fleet,

launching the Phase 1 Enhancement

(P1E) programme. It was developed using

the various partner companies’ instrumented

test aircraft, and flight trials of external stores

and avionics integration began in 2008.

Four years later, full-capacity autonomous

target designation trials were completed

with the Rafael Litening III targeting pod.

This work was divided into two phases: P1Ea

(with PSC.10 software) and P1Eb (PSC.12

software) to ensure simple and effective

introduction of the required avionics software.

The first phase was completed in 2012 and

officially delivered to the NATO Eurofighter

and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA).

A year later, the various air forces began

introducing it into their own fleets.

The 36° Stormo

is the only Aeronautica

Militare (AM, Italian Air Force)

unit responsible for two operational

F-2000 Typhoon gruppi (squadrons) and also

includes an aircraft maintenance squadron, the

936° Gruppo Efficienza Aeromobili (GEA). The

latter provides technical and logistical support

for the entire Italian F-2000 fleet, together with

the 1° Reparto Manutenzione Velivoli (RMV,

aircraft maintenance department) at Cameri.

Swing-role upgrades

At the GEA, AFM spoke to Lt Col Vittorio D R

(full name withheld on request), who heads up

the unit. “The 36° Stormo currently includes

Typhoons from all three manufacturing

tranches, and all of them are capable of

performing air-to-ground missions, albeit

not all to the same level,” he explained.

Thanks to the Certificazioni Tecnico Operative

(CTO, technical-operational certification)

process, the Tranche 1 jets have received

German air arm requirements but
intended to exploit the jet’s potential
and win orders on the international
market. Today’s Typhoon is recognised

was implemented on the

Royal Air Force’s Tranche

1 Block 5 aircraft. First the

UK, then Saudi Arabia added

an attack competence on

its Tranche 2 jets, in 2011.

P1E programme

In 2007, the Eurofighter consortium

instigated the introduction of

swing-role capability across the fleet,

launching the Phase 1 Enhancement