A quick tour around Italian Airbases

We visit most of the Italian Air Force Fighter Bases in Italy and some other airports along the route.

We depart from the best-known Italian air bases, Decimomannu (LIED) on the island of Sardinia. Several NATO Air Forces have been trained here in Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground ranges for many years.

We head to the next island, Sicily. Here we visit two important bases. The first is Trapani (LICT), now a joint military-civilian base. The airfield is one of the four forward operating bases (FOBs) used by the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force based at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen in Geilenkirchen, Germany. It is the home of the 37th Fighter Wing, flying the Eurofighter Typhoon. We overfly the island and land at the joint IAF/US Navy base of Sigonella (LICZ).

We head toward the Italian Mainland and reach Gioia Del Colle (LIBV). The 36th Stormo is flying Eurofighter from here. No flight over Italy would be complete without a stop at Rome! We land at Italy's main International Aiport Fiumicino (LRF). We head north and arrive at Grosseto (LIRS), from where the 4th Stormo is operating Eurofighter jets. But the airport is a civilian airport as well.

Our next stop is in the very north of Italy, Ghedi (LIPL). It is one of six active air bases in five European countries with B61 nuclear bombs in an underground WS3 Weapon Storage and Security System inside aircraft shelters. Ghedi is home to three squadrons flying the Tornado Fighter Bomber. We head east and land at Istrana (LIPS), where the AMX A-11 Ghibli ground attack fighter is flown.

We finish the flight at Aviano (LIPA). The Italian Air Force has ownership and administrative and military control of the base. It hosts the U.S. Air Force's 31st Fighter Wing and, per nuclear sharing, is one of six active air bases in five European countries with B61 nuclear bombs in an underground WS3 Weapon Storage and Security System inside aircraft shelters. The 31st Fighter Wing is the only U.S. fighter wing south of the Alps. The 31st Fighter Wing is made up of two General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter squadrons, the 555th Fighter Squadron and the 510th Fighter Squadron, allowing it to fly both attack and defensive missions.

The flight has 1100 miles and 7 landings, so we need to be fast. I wanted to take the Leonardo M346 from IFE, but I could not figure out how the autopilot works. I will be in the IFE Panavia Tornado. As always, please fly what you like.

The flight plans are here.

There are three freeware add-ons available:

LICT Trapani (works only in 2020, I have pink shelters at the airbase in 2024).

LICZ Sigonella for 2020 and 2024

LIPA Aviano for 2020 and 2024 

We try real weather. Let us depart at 08:00 am local time.

Multiplayer Particulars
Date and time: Wednesday, May 14, 2025. 1800 UTC
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