While NATO and some partner’s fighter jets continue with pretty boring patrol flights to enforce a Libyan No-Fly Zone that is slightly becoming useless (given the total lack of aerial threats), Germany has deployed its Eurofighter Typhoons to Decimomannu, Italy, to undertake air-to-air training in the ACMI (Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation) ranges.
With 12 ships, the JG73 detachment is the largest German Air Force’s Typhoon deployment to “Deci” so far. The following photographs, taken by Alessandro Fucito and Giovanni Maduli in September show some single and two-seater Typhoons, fitted with IRIS-T missiles and drop tanks, take off and land during intense flight operations (several sorties per day) whereas RNlAF F-16s and Spanish Air Force F-18s, B707 and KC-130H depart or return from Operation Unified Protector missions.
Some countries’ aircrews have lamented the waste of flying hours for NFZ enforcement missions. According to some Dutch pilots, they risk to lose proficiencies if they’ll be required to perform only lengthy Combat Air Patrols over Libya.
More from The Aviationist
The Incredible Armada of Aircraft Behind 1969’s Battle of Britain Film
On Sept. 15, 1969, cinema audiences were treated to a dramatic portrayal…
US Approves Possible Sale of Nine KC-46A Pegasus Tankers for Japan
The latest deal would take the number of KC-46As in Japan’s inventory…
U.S. State Department Approves $7.2B Sale Of F-35 Jets To Romania
The Foreign Military Sale’s approval comes after Romania announced the plan to…
Wooden Avengers, Target Kites, and Draftees: How America’s First New Deal Community Took the Fight to the Axis
Situated in the quiet hills of West Virginia, the small town of…
DARPA Awards BAE Systems $4 Million for Autonomous Beyond Visual Range Air Combat Program
Autonomy solutions for BVR combat will initially be developed and demonstrated on…
Germany has not contributed to the Odyssey Dawn and Unified Protector. Italian Typhoons have logged more than 1.000 flying hours over Libya before ItAF withdrew its F-2000s from Unified Protector.
