List of active Italian military aircraft

The following is a list of military aircraft currently used by the four branches of the Italian Armed Forces: Italian Army, Italian Navy, Italian Air Force, Guardia di Finanza, Italian Coast Guard, and Carabinieri.

Coat of arms of the Italian Air Force

Air Force

Current inventory

Picture Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat aircraft
F-35 Lightning II USA
Italy
Swing role stealth fighter F-35A 36[1]

F-35A acquisition:[2]

F-35B acquisition:

Swing role stealth fighter, STOVL F-35B 4[5]
Eurofighter UK
Germany
Italy
Spain
Multirole F-2000A 79

[1]

Conversion trainer TF-2000A 14

[1]

Multirole Tranche 4 0

(+ 24 on order)

[1]

24 ordered in 2024, replacing the Eurofighter Tranche 1.[6]
Tornado UK
Germany
Italy
Multirole IDS 19

[1]

Being replaced by the F-35.
Electronic warfare ECR 12

[1]

Conversion trainer IDS 4

[1]

AEW&C
G550 CAEW USA
Israel
Airborne early warning and control E-550A 2

[1]

Ordered in 2012, in service since 2016.[7]

3 additional planned to be ordered.

Electronic warfare
C-27J Spartan Italy Electronic warfare EC-27 Jedi 3

[1]

EA-37B Compass Call USA Electronic Attack EA-37B 0

(+ 2 on order)

[1]

2 ordered in July 2025, and 1 in option.[8]
G550 JAMMS AISREW

(Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, Electronic Warfare)

G550 JAMMS

(PMMMS)

1

(+ 2 on order)

[1]

Ordered in 2021.[9][10]
Reconnaissance
Super King Air USA SIGINT / COMINT / ISR 350 Spydr 1

[1]

[11]
Maritime patrol
ATR 72 Italy ASW / patrol P-72AS 4

[1]

Mission crews are provided by the Italian Navy.
Tanker
KC-767 USA Aerial refueling 4

[1]

Entered service in 2011.[12]

Replacement with the KC-46A cancelled.[12]

KC-130J USA Aerial refueling KC-130J 4

[1]

6 acquired, 1 lost in November 2009.[13]

4 remain in service.[1]

Transport
C-130J Super Hercules USA Tactical airlift C-130J-30 9

[1]

C-27J Spartan Italy Transport 7

[1]

P-180 Avanti Italy VIP transport P-180A 4

[1]

[14]
P-180 EVO+ 5
Dassault Falcon 900 France VIP transport Falcon 900 2

[15]

Operated by the 31st Wing.[16]
Falcon 900EX 1

[15]

Gulfstream G650 USA VIP transport Gulfstream G650ER 2

(+ 3 on order)

[17]

Operated by the 31st Wing.[17]

Replaced the Falcon 50 and to replace the Falcon 900 / 900EX.

Helicopters
AW101 Italy
UK
Utility / CSAR 12

[1]

AW139 Italy Utility / SAR AW139/M 30

[1]

Helicopter trainer 2

[1]

MD 500 USA
Italy
Helicopter trainer NH-500M 37

[1]

Licensed built by Breda Nardi.
Trainer aircraft
M-346 Master Italy Lead-in fighter training T-346A 27

[1]

23 ordered by the Italian Air Force:

IFTS:

  • 4 (delivered by Leonardo in 2019[18])
Alenia M-345 HET Italy Basic trainer / advanced trainer T-345A 9

(+ 9 on order)

[1]

Orders:

45 planned in total.[21]

Aermacchi MB-339 Italy Basic trainer / advanced trainer 25

[1]

Being replaced by the M-345.
SF.260 Italy Ab initio trainer 29

[1]

P-180 Italy Multi-engine trainer VC-180C

(P-180 EVO+)

10

[1]

[22]
Gulfstream G550 USA Multi-engine trainer G550 2

[1]

Part of the G550 "Green" that are not yet modified to a specialised variant, used for training.[23]
Miscellaneous aircraft
Aermacchi MB-339 Italy Aerobatics show aircraft MB-339 PAN 10

[24]

21 acquired of this variant.[24][25]
M-346 Master Italy Aerobatics show aircraft T-346 PAN 0

(+ 15 on order)

[26]

Replacement of the MB-339 PAN with the Frecce Tricolori.[27][26][28]
P-180 Italy Radio / radar measures P-180 EVO+ 4

[29]

[29][14]
UAV
MQ-9 Reaper USA ISTAR MQ-9A Predator B 5

[30]

1× lost in an accident in 2019.
Coat of Arms of the Italian Navy

Italian Naval Aviation

Current inventory

Picture Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat aircraft
F-35 Lightning II USA Swing role stealth fighter, STOVL F-35B 10

[31]

[32]

F-35B acquisition:

AV-8B Harrier II UK
USA
V/STOL AV-8B+ 11

[31]

[33]

Being replaced by the F-35B.

Transport
P-180 Italy Transport P-180 Maritme 3

[31]

[34][35]
Helicopters
AW101 Italy
UK
SAR SH-101A 10

[31]

[36][37]
VERTREP MH-101A 8

[31]

[38]
ASW / ASuW EH-101A 4 [39]
NH90 European Union ASW / ASuW SH-90A (NFH) 45

[31]

[40][41]

Delivered between 2011 and October 2023.[42]

1 lost in July 2023.[31]

Transport MH-90A (TTH) 10

[31]

AB-212 USA
Italy
ASW SH-212A 22

[31]

[43]

Licensed built by Agusta.

Utility MH-212B
Trainer aircraft
AV-8B Harrier II UK
USA
Conversion trainer TAV-8B 1

[31]

UAV
Camcopter S-100 Austria ISR, helicopter UAV 2

[44][45]

ScanEagle USA ISR, fixed-wing UAV 10

[46]

Coat of arms of the Italian Army

Italian Army Aviation

Current inventory

Picture Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Transport
P-180 Italy Transport P-180A Avanti 3

[1]

[47]
Dornier 228 Germany Transport, STOL Do 228-212 3

[1]

[48]
Helicopters
A129 Mangusta Italy Attack helicopter A129C 5 [49]

37 out of 60 remain in service.[1][50]

A129D 32
AW249 Fenice Italy Attack helicopter AW249 (IOC) 2

(7 on order)

[1]

[51]

48 ordered:[1][52]

  • 7 AW249 IOC (Initial Operational Capability)
  • 12 that were planned in IOC will be built in FOC (Full Operational Capability)
  • 29 in FOC
AW249 (FOC) 3

(41 on order)

[1]

CH-47 Chinook USA
Italy
Heavy transport helicopter CH-47C 5

[1]

Of the 40 acquired, 5 remain in service.[1]
ICH-47F 16

[1][53]

Licence made by Leonardo.[53][54][55]
NH90 European Union Utility / transport UH-90A (TTH) 59

[1]

[56][57]

60 ordered and delivered, 1 was lost in an accident.[58][59]

AW169M Italy Utility / MEDEVAC / CASEVAC AW169MA

(UH-169D)

3[1](+ 22 on order) [60]

Programme LUH (light utility helicopter, successor of the A109, AB-206, AB-205, AB-212,AB-412).[61]

Orders:

AB-205 USA
Italy
Utility AB-205 34

[1]

[64][65][66]

Licensed built by Agusta, to be replaced by UH-169D

AB-212 25

[1]

AB-412
AB-206 USA
Italy
Utility 29

[1]

[67]

Licensed built by Agusta, to be replaced by UH-169D

Trainer aircraft
AW139 Italy Helicopter trainer AW139/M

(UH-169B)

2

[1]

[61]
AW169 ABC

Addestramento Basico Commerciale

Italy Helicopter trainer UH-169B 2

[68]

2 acquired in December 2019 for training, received in July 2020.[68]
UAV
RQ-7 Shadow USA ISTAR 16 4 TUAS systems ordered in 2010 with 4 drones each.[69]
Coat of arms o the Guardia di Finanza

Guardia di Finanza

Current inventory

Picture Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Maritime patrol
ATR 72 Italy ASW / Maritime patrol aircraft P-72A 4
ATR 42 Italy
France
Maritime surveillance ATR-42-400MP 4
Transport
P-180 Italy Transport P-180 Avanti II 2
Helicopters
AW169 Italy Utility / Transport AW-169M 24 6 with fixed landing gear and 18 with skids
AW139 Italy Utility / Transport 20
AW109 Italy Utility / Transport AW-109N 4
NH-500 USA Trainer NH-500MC 6
NH-500MD
Coat of Arms of the Carabinieri

Carabinieri

Current inventory

Picture Aircraft[70] Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Fixed-wing
P-180 Italy Transport P-180 Avanti II 2
Helicopters
AB-412 USA
Italy
Search and Rescue / Utility AB-412 9 License built by Agusta
AB-412HP 12
AB-412SP 9
AW109 Italy Utility / Patrol A109A/A-II 26
A109E Power 3
A109N Nexus 17
AW119 Koala Italy Utility / Patrol AW-119Kx 20
AW139 Italy Utility / Patrol UH-139D 3
AW169 Italy Utility / Patrol AW169M 6
NH-500 USA Trainer NH 500D 10
Coat of arms of the Air Service of the Italian Coast Guard

Italian Coast Guard

Current inventory

Picture Aircraft Origin Type Variant In

service

Notes
Maritime patrol
ATR 42 Italy
France
Maritime surveillance ATR-42MP-420 1
ATR-42MP-500 2
ATR-42MP-600 1
P-180 Italy Maritime surveillance P-180 Avanti II 1
Helicopters
AB412 Italy Search and Rescue AB-412HP Koala 5
AW139 Italy Search and Rescue PH-139 Nemo 15

See also

References

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