Two F-2000 Eurofighter fighters of the Italian Air Force, in readiness for the airspace surveillance service, took off quickly in the early afternoon today from the Gioia del Colle air base (Ba), home of the 36 ° Stormo Caccia , to intercept a Belgian Embraer 450 aircraft, which took off from Ibiza (Spain) and headed for Larnaca (Cyprus), which had lost radio contact with the Italian air traffic control bodies.
The two Eurofighters intercepted the Belgian airliner over the Ionian Sea skies where they identified the civilian aircraft and made sure the crew had restored regular radio contacts with the air traffic control bodies.
Subsequently, the two interceptor hunters escorted the aircraft to the exit of the national airspace.
The two Eurofighter alarms of the 36 ° Stormo took off following the order of scramble received from the CAOC (Combined Air Operation Center) of Torrejon, NATO body responsible for the airspace surveillance service area.
The Air Force provides surveillance of the national air space 365 days a year, 24 hours on 24, with an integrated defense system, since the time of peace, with that of other countries belonging to NATO. The service is guaranteed - for the surveillance, identification and control part -from the Air Control Center, the Recognized Air Picture Production Center, the Sensor Fusion Post (ARS) of Poggio Renatico (FE) and the 22 ° Radar Group of Licola (NA), relative to the intervention in flight, from the 4 ° Stormo (GR), from the 36 ° Stormo (BA) and from the 37 ° Stormo (TP), all equipped with Eurofighter fighter aircraft.
The Air Force also continuously ensures the Interim Air Policing of Albania, starting from 2009, and of Slovenia, since 2004, alternating in this service with Greece and Hungary respectively. He also carried out the NATO Air Policing service in Iceland, in 2013 and 2017, in the Baltic countries in 2015 and is currently present in Bulgaria for the “Bulgarian Horse” operation.
Photo: okmugello.it