Here Are The Photographs Of The Italian AMX Aircraft Returning Home From Kuwait Deployment

April 4, 2019 Military Aviation

David Cenciotti

AMX return Kuwait — The Italian AMX ACOL jets fly over Istrana at the end of their return flight from Kuwait on Mar. 27, 2019.

The AMX A-11 “Ghibli” aircraft have been replaced by the Eurofighter Typhoons.

As already reported, four Italian Air Force F-2000A jets have replaced the AMX ACOL jets in the air war against Daesh in Iraq and Syria, with an official TOA (Transfer Of Authority) that took place at Ahmed Al Jaber airbase, Kuwait, on Mar. 26, 2019.

The AMX A-11 Ghibli jets belonging to the 132° Gruppo (Squadron) of the 51° Stormo (Wing) from Istrana, were deployed to Kuwait to support Operation Inherent Resolve as part of “Prima Parthica” (as the Italian operation is dubbed at national level) since Jun. 14, 2016. During their time “in theater” the Italian AMX jets have logged more than 6,000 FH, flying “tac recce” support by using Rafael Reccelite tactical reconnaissance pods to provide precise, high-definition imagery to coalition leaders. This imagery (currently gathered by the Typhoons that carry the same pod) provides coalition forces a full picture when planning and executing missions and launching strikes in the Middle East.

During their deployment to the Middle East, the Italian A-11 Ghibli jets have logged more than 6,000 FH.

On Mar. 27, 2019, the day after the TOA in Kuwait, supported by a KC-767 tanker with the 14° Stormo from Pratica di Mare, the four AMX jets deployed to Ahmed Al Jaber airbase returned to their homebase at Istrana, near Treviso, in northeastern Italy.

Interestingly, one of the AMX pilots is a U.S. Air Force exchange pilot, as the image below shows:

One of the AMX pilots is an Air Force airman. You can see the American flag on his left shoulder as well as a folded U.S. flag in the cockpit.

About David Cenciotti

David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.