Combat aircraft

(Sean Pound) #1

T


HE ITALIAN NAVY (Marina
Militare) has long played an
important role within the
country’s military. However, its
GRUPAER (Gruppo Supporto
Aerei Imbarcati della Marina
Militare) is one of the youngest naval
squadrons worldwide and the Marina
Militare’s sole  xed-wing unit. All the
more remarkable, then, that it  ies
the Harrier: arguably among the most
complex and demanding fast jets in
the world.
Bringing Harriers into Italian Navy
service was anything but straightforward.
For a start, an Italian law dating back to
1937 that forbade the navy from  ying
anything except helicopters had to

If ever there was a
rare breed analogy for
aircraft, Harriers in
Europe would come near
the top of the list. The
Italian Navy may have
signed up for the F-35B,
but its Harriers are still
going strong.

REPORT Dr Andreas Zeitler
and Andrea Avian

Tooled up — an
Italian Navy
Harrier ‘Plus’
complete with
AGM-65 Maverick,
AIM-120 AMRAAM
and AIM-9
Sidewinder, plus
a Litening II on
the centerline.
Clearance for the
Italian AV-8B+
force to use mixed
air-to-air and air-
to-ground stores
is expected soon.
Dr Andreas Zeitler

76 April 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net


76-83 Italian Harriers C.indd 76 15/02/2018 13:50

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