The “Ghibli” attack aircraft, as the Italian AMXs are known, are due to be retired within two years, the new commander of the 51st Wing of Istrana, Colonel Emanuele Chiadroni, revealed this week. Chiadroni told Treviso Today that the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter will replace the AMX.
“Actually, the flight group that is here, 132, is already 100% operational with the Eurofighter, very few pilots are operational on both. The focus is mainly on the Eurofighter,” explained the Aeronautica Militare official.
According to the World Air Forces 2022, Italy has 31 one-seat AMXs and five two-seat AMX-Ts, out of the 136 jets received from 1989 onwards.
The Italian aircraft received a modernization package in 2012 provided by Leornado, a company formed with the union of manufacturers such as Aeritalia and Aermacchi that, together with Embraer, developed the AMX. Part of the attack planes received a GPS navigation system, new weapons and multifunction displays.
Originally, the Air Force’s intention was to replace the Ghibli with the Lockheed Martin F-35. Also according to the yearbook, there are 92 Eurofughter Typhoon fighters in service in the country.
The Italian AMXs participated in missions in Serbia, Afghanistan and Libya.
