Following an agreement with the Italian Air Force in August 2025, the U.S. Air Force is now training ten of its student pilots at the International Flight Training School (IFST), Decimomannu Air Base, Italy. The two services have partnered to execute an undergraduate flying training program Small Group Tryout, which will test modernized syllabi and streamlined training timelines with the goal of reducing pilot certification to less than one year.
As part of the “Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for Flight Training of the USAF Military Personnel in Italy,” the IFTS was chosen for its proven excellence and ability to offer an innovative and challenging training program, with the Leonardo T-346A jet trainer defined as a further strength behind this agreement