Alenia Aeronautica: 1000th Tornado Test Flight

>TURIN, Italy --- Alenia Aeronauticas Flight Test Centre reached a significant milestone in November when Commander Mario Mutti and Weapon Systems Officer Marcello Battaglia made the 1,000th test flight with the Tornado fighter-bomber developed by Alenia, BAE Systems and EADS which forms the backbone of the Italian, German, British and Saudi air forces.>> The 1,000th flight took off from Turin-Caselle airport, where Alenia Aeronauticas Flight Test Centre is based, for a one-hour test for the integration of a new TACAN (Tactical Air Navigation) system and the MIDS (Multifunctional Information Distribution System) datalink system. The aircraft landed at Decimomannu Italian Air Force base, where it will complete testing of the new equipment.>> This 1,000th flight represents a milestone for the activity which Alenia Aeronautica began in 1993 and has gone through several test phases to progressively integrate new systems in the aircraft. These include, among others, the:> -- GBU-16, GBU-24, JDAM, E-GBU-24, Storm Shadow> -- CLDP target designation pod> -- RECCE-LITE battlefield reconnaissance pod> -- Mid Life Update, 1st Upgrade, in-flight development and check for the Italian Tornado fleet> -- MIDS system for IDS Tornadoes>> The results obtained during the long flying activity have been transferred to serving aircraft, allowing Alenia Aeronautica to ensure that the Italian Air Force operates an up-to-date state-of-the-art platform, capable of successfully meeting the evolving requirements faced by operational aircraft during their service life.