The Captain of the Italian Air Force, "codenamed Pinna", was recently selected as the head of a formation of A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft of the United States Air Force (USAF) of the 74th Fighter Squadron.
"When the Commander invited me to his office to ask me if I wanted to be an Exchange Pilot and fly on an A-10 I almost cried," recalls Pinna in an interview with Airman Magazine, the official magazine of the United States Air Force.
The Captain "Pinna", 34enne Roman, has entered the very ambitious program "Military Personnel Exchange Program", which allows the interaction of the air forces of the whole world through the exchange of some of the most experienced pilots of different nationalities.
Within this prestigious program, the US Air Force (USAF), selects and avails itself of foreign "niche" pilots coming from 30 different countries and only one of them is granted the "privilege" to fly on the Warthog ( warthog), as it is called in the jargon by the pilots Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, single-seater aircraft, twin-engine and rectilinear wing, which exploits its heavy armor to hit targets of various types and this is part of the "category "Of ground attack aircraft.
"Pinna", whose term in the United States will end in about two years, thanks to the previous, brilliant, operational experience gained on the AMX line, was selected three years ago as the most suitable foreign pilot to operate with the "Warthog".
But what is behind this prestigious Military Personnel Exchange Program?
Certainly the mutual study of factors such as the ability to communicate, operate, support and train.
The "Exchange" program represents an opportunity offered by the USAF to share techniques and procedures, consolidate professional relationships, increase trust among foreign air forces, learn to work in synergy and with a view to full interoperability between different countries.
The international cooperation and the joint flight to the pilots of other nations, within foreign aerial formations, allow to acquire the maximum integration among the different structures in the field, standardizing the execution of the assigned tasks and harmonizing the capacity of intervention in multinational missions .
Arriving in Arizona at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the Cap. "Pinna" attended all the courses scheduled on the A-10C aircraft. Here he acquired the combat ready qualification by attending the course called TX-1, reserved for pilots ready to fight on other fighter aircraft.
Currently "Pinna", name of battle with which the Pilot Captain is known among his colleagues, is also qualified as "Capo Coppia" in a formation of two aircraft, "Capo Formazione" in multiple formations and "Sandy 4", or the training consisting of four aircraft in Combat Search and Rescue missions (CSAR).
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