Latest news with #ItalianAirForce


The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Irish Sun
Horror moment inferno erupts at beach sending tourists fleeing as wildfires hit THIRD Europe hotspot & 4 dead in Turkey
THIS is the horror moment beachgoers were surrounded by smoke as a wildfire hit the Italian hotspot of Sardinia. Sunbathers were sent fleeing after flames reached right up to the sand near Punta Molentis on the southeast of the island. 7 Flames reached right down to the beach in Sardinia Credit: 7 The fire raged as sunbathers tried to flee Credit: 7 Planes and helicopters were sent to help battle the blaze Credit: x/@vigilidelfuoco 7 The island's coast guard evacuated 102 people by sea while a helicopter watched from above during the operation after the sunseekers were blocked from driving off. Some 200 cars and a kiosk were torched and strong winds made the job for firefighters tackling the blaze trickier. Beachgoers filmed the thick black and grey smoke rising into the sky as they gathered their towels and spades and prepared to flee. Footage also showed the motors burned out after flames had ripped through the parking area. Read more on world news Many of those at the beach had driven down near the water to save them walking in the 34C heat. The area of the Sardinian coast is known as Sarrabus - with local media saying a "jewel" had been destroyed in the fire. Firefighters battled the blaze from the air with two Canadair aerial firefighting plane, a firefighting helicopter, aircraft from the regional fleet, and an Italian Air Force vehicle. It comes after Most read in The US Sun Some 3,500 people have been evacuated after the wildfires hit the northwest of the country. More than 1,900 firefighters were drafted in to help save those still trapped and to extinguish the flames. Fresh wildfires engulf Turkey as 1,500 flee their homes and firefighter dies days after raging blazes killed 13 Firefighters have been battling more than 600 fires fuelled by high winds in the drought-hit nation over the past week. Fires have also hit Greece after a week-long heatwave peaked with temperatures surpassing 45 degrees. Thousands of people were evacuated as . A wildfire burned through a northern suburb of the Greek capital on Saturday, and some residents were ordered to evacuate, the country's Fire Service reported. 7 The torched cars at Punta Molentis Credit: 7 The fires at Punta Molentis seen from a distance Credit: x/@vigilidelfuoco Firefighters were also battling three other major fires on . Strong winds caused the fire to spread rapidly and prompting evacuations of several settlements. On the island of Evia, 115 firefighters and 24 vehicles were deployed to put out fires, assisted by six planes and seven helicopters. Cyprus has been hit with its worst wildfires "for 50 years" amid growing fears a 44C heatwave will fuel the blaze even further. One Brit family, Lucy and Ben Armstrong, tragically had their home in the Troodos mountains burned during the fires on the island. Speaking to The Sun, Ben said: "We lost everything that day, there's nothing left. "We had fish tanks in the house and there was absolutely nothing left of what was in the water except melted glass on the floor." Two people were found dead in a burnt car and over 70 houses were destroyed in the fires. 7 The Italian coastguard racing towards the fire in a dinghy Credit: Reuters


The Sun
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Sun
Horror moment inferno erupts near busy beach sending panicked tourists fleeing as wildfires hit a THIRD European hotspot
THIS is the shocking moment beachgoers were surrounded by smoke as a wildfire hit the Italian hotspot of Sardinia. Sunbathers were blocked from fleeing by car after flames reached right up to the sand near Punta Molentis on the southeast of the island. 7 7 7 The island's coast guard evacuated 102 people by sea while a helicopter watched over the evacuation. Some 200 cars and a kiosk were torched and strong winds made the job for firefighters tackling the blaze trickier. Beachgoers filmed the thick black and grey smoke rising into the sky as they gathered their towels and spades and prepared to flee. Footage also showed the motors burned out after flames had ripped through the parking area. Many of those at the beach had driven down near the water to save them walking in the 34C heat. The area of the Sardinian coast is known as Sarrabus - with local media saying a "jewel" had been destroyed in the fire. Firefighters battled the blaze from the air with two Canadair aerial firefighting plane, a firefighting helicopter, aircraft from the regional fleet, and an Italian Air Force vehicle. It comes after two people died amid a 50C heatwave aand huge fires in Turkey. Some 3,500 people have been evacuated after the wildfires hit the northwest of the country. More than 1,900 firefighters were drafted in to help save those still trapped and to extinguish the flames. Fresh wildfires engulf Turkey as 1,500 flee their homes and firefighter dies days after raging blazes killed 13 Firefighters have been battling more than 600 fires fuelled by high winds in the drought-hit nation over the past week. Fires have also hit Greece after a week-long heatwave peaked with temperatures surpassing 45 degrees. Thousands of people were evacuated as fires swept villages near Athens and Aegean islands. A wildfire burned through a northern suburb of the Greek capital on Saturday, and some residents were ordered to evacuate, the country's Fire Service reported. 7 7 Firefighters were also battling three other major fires on Greece's two largest islands, Crete and Evia. Strong winds caused the fire to spread rapidly and prompting evacuations of several settlements. On the island of Evia, 115 firefighters and 24 vehicles were deployed to put out fires, assisted by six planes and seven helicopters. Cyprus has been hit with its worst wildfires "for 50 years" amid growing fears a 44C heatwave will fuel the blaze even further. One Brit family, Lucy and Ben Armstrong, tragically had their home in the Troodos mountains burned during the fires on the island. Speaking to The Sun, Ben said: "We lost everything that day, there's nothing left. "We had fish tanks in the house and there was absolutely nothing left of what was in the water except melted glass on the floor." Two people were found dead in a burnt car and over 70 houses were destroyed in the fires. 7


Libya Observer
3 days ago
- General
- Libya Observer
ItaMilRadar: Italian surveillance aircraft conducted patrols off eastern Libya
The Italian website ItaMilRadar reported 'unusual activity' in the central Mediterranean region, noting the detection of an Italian Air Force reconnaissance aircraft off the coast of eastern Libya. The website said that new patrol missions were conducted on Saturday in the central Mediterranean, marking the third such flight observed by the Italian Air Force in recent days. It noted that an ATR-72A aircraft carried out a patrol mission lasting nearly six hours in the area. The Italian website, which specializes in monitoring military activity in the Mediterranean, said the latest Italian patrol focused on the coastline off eastern Libya. While the full flight path was not entirely visible, the website's data indicated that the aircraft operated primarily between the cities of Al-Bayda and Tobruk, before heading to the Greek island of Crete and then returning to Italy's Souda Air Base. Earlier on Saturday morning, before the Italian ATR-72A departed from Souda, a US Navy Boeing P-8A aircraft completed a wide orbital pattern southwest of Crete, followed by a standard surveillance mission off the coast of Syria. Tags: ItaMilRadar


Libya Review
3 days ago
- Politics
- Libya Review
Italian Military Aircraft Conducts Third Maritime Patrol Off Eastern Libya
An Italian Air Force ATR P-72A aircraft carried out a nearly six-hour-long maritime patrol mission off the eastern coast of Libya, according to flight tracking data reported by Itamil Radar. The aircraft departed from Souda Air Base on the Greek island of Crete and focused its patrol over the maritime zone stretching between the Libyan cities of Al-Bayda and Tobruk. This marks the third such mission by the same aircraft in recent days. Unlike the previous patrols, which monitored wider zones, this mission appeared to concentrate specifically on the eastern coastal corridor. After completing its operations, the aircraft flew toward southeastern Crete before returning to its base. The ongoing surveillance flights reflect a heightened European military presence in the central Mediterranean, particularly amid concerns over irregular migration, maritime security, and regional instability near the Libyan coastline. Libya has been in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The county has for years been split between rival administrations. Libya's economy, heavily reliant on oil, has suffered due to the ongoing conflict. The instability has led to fluctuations in oil production and prices, impacting the global oil market and Libya's economy. The conflict has led to a significant humanitarian crisis in Libya, with thousands of people killed, and many more displaced. Migrants and refugees using Libya as a transit point to Europe have also faced dire conditions. The planned elections for December 2021 were delayed due to disagreements over election laws and the eligibility of certain candidates. This delay has raised concerns about the feasibility of a peaceful political transition. Despite the ceasefire, security remains a significant concern with sporadic fighting and the presence of mercenaries and foreign fighters. The unification of the military and the removal of foreign forces are crucial challenges. Tags: ATR P-72AItalian Air ForceItalylibya
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BAE Systems to support airborne electronic attack capabilities for Italy
HUDSON, N.H., July 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BAE Systems (LON: BA) has received a $12 million contract from L3Harris to support the modification of two Gulfstream G550 aircraft into airborne electronic attack (EA) platforms for the Italian Air Force. When the airframes are fitted with modern EA mission systems, they will provide Italy with powerful, long-range capabilities that disrupt and suppress enemies' command and control, communication, navigation, and air defense systems. Under its contract, BAE Systems will provide hardware to modify the aircraft, including racks, radomes, cables, and harnesses to prepare for the installation of advanced electronic warfare mission systems that will enhance Italy's ability to operate in the electromagnetic battlespace. "This modification work is a critical step toward delivering advanced EA capabilities to the Italian Air Force," said Cory Casalegno, director for Coalition Electronic Attack at BAE Systems. "Providing high-powered, long-range jamming capabilities to an important U.S. ally broadens the strength of the global allied fleet and supports the mission of the U.S. Air Force." BAE Systems' airborne EA mission systems complement the range, altitude, and endurance attributes of the G550 business jets, providing long-range jamming from safer operational distances. The systems limit adversaries' situational awareness, disrupt their use of the electromagnetic spectrum for operations, and align with the capabilities of the U.S. Air Force. BAE Systems has designed and developed advanced EA mission systems for decades, continually evolving the technology to address modern threats, and redesigning hardware for different airframes – carefully balancing the need for high-power output with size, weight, and power constraints. For additional information about BAE Systems' electronic warfare technology, visit: For more information, please contact: Mark Daly, BAE SystemsMobile: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE BAE Systems, Inc. Sign in to access your portfolio