On Thursday, 12th June, at Galatina military airport (Lecce), home to the 61st Storm and the 10th Aircraft Maintenance Department, the handover ceremony between the T-339A and the new T-345A, the new training aircraft of the Air Force will be held.
A strong symbolic event – the T-339A first went into service in October 1981 right there at Lecce Galatina at the then Basic Initial Jet Flight School – and another significant step of growth for the military field training sector, an Italian excellence recognized and appreciated at the international level.
After almost 45 years of operation and over 340,000 flight hours dedicated to the training of thousands of Italian and foreign military pilots, the legendary “Macchino” – this is the nickname by which the MB-339A is commonly known from enthusiasts and insiders, famous around the world in its “PAN” version still used by the Frecce Tricolori – is preparing to close its long trainer career at the Salento school.
Starting in July 2025, it will in fact be Leonardo’s T-345A that will pick up this tradition, another piece in the process of modernizing the training and educational chain of military pilots which not only strengthens Italian leadership in terms of technology and skills in this strategic sector for Defense and the Italian aerospace industry, but also consolidates the role of the 61st Storm of Galatina as a world center of excellence in the field of military flight training.
The event, in addition to the relay, in flight and on land, between the outgoing and incoming aircraft, will feature a static aircraft display – including some in “special color” livery – a photographic gallery and various exhibition areas, and it will be an opportunity to gather, in the presence of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. S.A. Antonio Conserva, and the Commander of the Schools/3rd Air Region, Gen. S.A. Silvano Frigerio, the pilots, technical officers, and military and civilian maintenance personnel – both among the active duty personnel as well as those who have left the Armed Forces – who have flown and operated on the 339 “alpha” in this almost half-century of activity on the Leccese base.
The T-345A will be used at the 61st Wing, initially by the 214th Flight Group, during the phase II “Primary Pilot Training” and in the future, even by the 213th Flight Group, during phase III “Military Pilot License”, which for the moment continues on T-339 CD.
Source @Aeronautica Militare-Chief of Staff/V Department “Communication”-5th Office “Public Information”
Photo credit @Leonardo
