Two Eurofighter fighter aircraft of the 36 ° Stormo di Gioia del Colle (BA) intercepted a CESSNA aircraft of Portuguese nationality, on the Geneva - Brindisi route, which had lost radio communications with the air traffic control bodies in the Arezzo area.
At about 10.00 today the two fighters of the Air Force, on alarm service on the national territory, took off to identify and control the aircraft in transit in the Italian airspace. A few minutes after take-off, the two interceptor fighters established visual contact with the aircraft, thus ascertaining that the latter was not in emergency or danger conditions. Once the aircraft was identified, the two fighters escorted it until it restored contact with the air traffic control bodies.
The order came from the CAOC (Combined Air Operation Center) of Torrejon, a NATO body responsible for monitoring the skies in the area, and the intervention of the aircraft was controlled by the operating room of the 22 Radar Group of the Italian Air Force. Licola.
The Air Force ensures the surveillance of the national airspace 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, with an integrated defense system, even in peacetime, with that of other NATO countries. The service is guaranteed - for the surveillance, identification and control part - by the 24th Integrated Military Air Defense Group (DAMI) of Poggio Renatico (FE) and by the 11nd Radar Group of Licola (NA), while the intervention in flight it is insured by the 22 ° Stormo di Grosseto, the 4 ° Stormo di Gioia del Colle and the 36 ° Stormo di Trapani Birgi, all equipped with Eurofighter fighter aircraft.