The International Flight Training School (IFTS) is the result of a strategic collaboration between the Italian Air Force and Leonardo aimed to create an advanced flight training centre based in Italy.
IFTS is a great example of collaboration and public-private synergy, capable of satisfying the growing demand of partner countries for the training of their pilots at the highest standards.
The partnership between the Italian Air Force and Leonardo combined the Air Force’s established know-how and Leonardo’s excellence in military pilot integrated training systems maximizing cost-effectiveness for the Italian Air Force, whilst strengthening the international role played by Leonardo as a Training Service Provider.
The first international customers for the IFTS are the Air Forces of Qatar, Germany, Japan, and Singapore.
“With the building of the new IFTS campus headquartered at the Decimomannu Airbase (Sardinia Region), we are establishing in Italy a true flight training academy”, Leonardo said.
The campus can host students and technicians, as well as leisure and sports areas, a cafeteria, and maintenance and logistics infrastructures to guarantee the readiness of the M-346 fleet, (designated the T-346A by the Italian Air Force) comprised of 22 aircraft.
The project has dedicated an entire building to the Ground Based Training System (GBTS), with classrooms and the installation of a modern training system based on cutting-edge simulation systems.
Construction work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022 and the first phase IV course for military pilots, of the Italian Air Force and foreign partners, including Qatar and Singapore began on July 4, 2022, on the Decimomannu Air Base.
So far, two pilots of the Luftwaffe, the German Air Force, have been awarded the first Phase IV (Advanced/Lead-In to Fighter Training) diploma.
Furthermore, six students from the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) have concluded phase IV of the Advanced/Lead-In to Fighter Training programme at the International Flight Training School (IFTS).
