Aircraft

The Italian air force's fleet of AMX strike aircraft has been grounded indefinitely, following a judicial inquiry into the cause of an October 2005 crash during which a pilot ejected after his aircraft's canopy detached during a training flight from Decimomannu air base.

Twelve of Italy's AMX aicraft have crashed, killing five pilots since the type entered service, with these accidents largely caused by human and environmental factors. The 2005 incident was the only one during which an AMX was lost due to a detached canopy, although four had previously landed safely after suffering canopy malfunctions. Air force deputy chief of staff Gen Giuseppe Bernardis says the fleet has amassed around 160,000 flight hours, with an accident rate of 0.75 per 10,000h.

Bernardis says the AMX fleet has already been modified with improved safety devices and visual warnings for its canopy lock, and an audio warning has also been added in the service's upgraded ACOL version (pictured below), deliveries of which started last August.

© Alenia Aermacchi

Sources say the prosecutor's office in Cagliari, Sardinia, requested technical documentation on the AMX from Alenia Aermacchi, but did not approach military certification or technical authorities during the course of its inquiry.