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http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... srael.html
DATE:08/03/11
SOURCE:Flight International
Italian air force trains in Israel
By Arie Egozi
The Italian air force will continue to use facilities in Israel to train its pilots for desert combat and to defend themselves against surface-launched threats, according to Israeli sources.
With the Italian air force's continued deployment in Afghanistan, it believes Israel offers the best training for the environment it will encounter.
The Israeli air force has gained vast experience in defending its aircraft against surface-to-air threats and is now sharing this with the Italian service.
In December 2010 Italian air force Panavia Tornado fighters were deployed to the Israeli air force Uvda airbase in southern Israel.
The Tornados flew against an "enemy" Israeli Lockheed Martin F-16, but mainly trained in avoidance tactics from surface-launched threats.
Special flares were used to simulate surface-to-air missile launches to train pilots in the use of countermeasures or to perform avoidance manoeuvres.
Last year the Israeli service deployed its fighters to an Italian air force base in Sardinia for training and has previously trained with the Greek service.
