In the early afternoon of yesterday the F-2000 Eurofighter fighter aircraft of the Italian Air Force, in alarm service for the defense of national airspace, carried out an intervention on the order of immediate take-off (in technical jargon called "scramble") to intercept and control a civilian aircraft that had lost radio contact with air traffic agencies.
Just before the 13.00 two F-2000 Eurofighter of the 36 ° Storm of Gioia del Colle took off to intercept a CESSNA 650 aircraft of French nationality that had taken off from Paris and was headed to Greece.
A few minutes after take off, the two interceptor fighters reached the French plane. After having visually ascertained that there were no emergency conditions, the two F-2000s still escorted the aircraft to the border of the national airspace and subsequently returned to the Gioia del Colle base.
The operational mission was activated following the "scramble" order received from the CAOC (Combined Air Operation Center) of Torrejon, the NATO body responsible for the surveillance of the skies in the area, and took place under the control of the operational rooms of the air defense and surveillance system of the Italian Air Force.
The Air Force provides the surveillance of the national air space 365 days a year, 24 hours on 24, with a defense system that is integrated, even in peacetime, with that of other countries belonging to NATO. The service is guaranteed - for the surveillance, identification and control - by the 11 ° Integrated Air Force Defense Group (DAMI) of Poggio Renatico (Fe) and the 22 ° Radar Group of Licola (Na), while the intervention in flight it is insured by the 4 ° Stormo di Grosseto, the 36 ° Stormo di Gioia del Colle and the 37 ° Stormo of Trapani Birgi, all equipped with Eurofighter fighter aircraft.