Air Defense: Eurofighter intercepts civil aircraft that had lost radio contact

(To air Force)
14/06/19

An F-2000 Eurofighter of the Italian Air Force, deployed at the Istrana base (TV), headquarters of the 51st Wing, with airspace surveillance tasks, intervened this morning to intercept a civil aircraft of Lauda Air, that during the overflight of the national airspace had lost radio contact with the air traffic control bodies (ATC).

The F-2000 fighter was already in flight for a training activity when, shortly after the 10: 00, it received the order to intercept the civil aircraft that had interrupted communications.

As required by the procedures of the air defense system, the order was issued by the CAOC (Combined Air Operation Center) of Torrejon in Spain, NATO center responsible for the surveillance of the area, in coordination with the Air Operations Command (COA) of Poggio Renatico and the Armed Forces bodies appointed to oversee national and NATO airspace.

The interception, led by the staff of the 11 ° DAMI Group who provided the pilot with the necessary information, took place after a few minutes in the skies above Lake Garda, where the F-2000 Eurofighter fighter, belonging to the 36 ° Stormo di Gioia del Colle and temporarily deployed at the Istrana base, identified the civilian aircraft by VId (Visual Identification). Once he ascertained that an emergency was not in progress, he escorted him to the border of the national air space, and then returned to the base.