Historic agreement: USAF pilots to train in Italy with T-346A

The first American student pilots will soon be at the International Flight Training School (IFTS) in Decimomannu, Sardinia

Italian Air Force T-346A advanced trainer aircraft assigned to 212th Flight Group/IFTS.

A new chapter begins for the International Flight Training School (IFTS) in Decimomannu, with the signing of the “Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for Flight Training of the USAF Military Personnel in Italy.”

The agreement, signed separately on August 22, 2025, by the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, Lieutenant General Antonio Conserva, and Lieutenant General Brian S. Robinson, Commander of the U.S. Air Force Air Education & Training Command, marks a historic turning point: for the first time in the history of the American military aviation, the USAF has chosen a foreign school, in a NATO country, to train its pilots.

The IFTS, a unique facility worldwide, was chosen for its proven excellence and ability to offer an innovative and challenging training program. The T-346A aircraft, similar to the T-7, which will be the USAF’s new trainer, represented a further strength behind this agreement.

The arrival of 10 American students at the Decimomannu base represents another important milestone for the school. The new training program, structured around the “Multiphase Jet Training Integrated Syllabus,” created specifically by the Italian Air Force in collaboration with the USAF, will allow students to earn their Military Pilot License on the T-346A aircraft in approximately nine months.

The International Flight Training School is an advanced military flight training school, born from the collaboration between the Italian Air Force and Leonardo Corporation. The project is part of the expansion of the national training offering at an international level and is managed by the 212th Flight Group/IFTS, an articulation of the 61st Galatina Wing, located at the Decimomannu air base.

Source, Images: Italian Air Force