Amendola Air Base

Amendola Air Base (ICAO: LIBA) is a military airfield of the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana). It is the home of 32nd Wing.[1]

Amendola Air Base
Part of Italian Air Force Aeronautica Militare
Province of Foggia, Italy
Alenia/Aermacchi/Embraer AMX at Amendola Air Base
Amendola Air Base Location of Amendola Air Base, Italy
Coordinates	41°32′29″N 015°43′05″E
Type	Military airfield
Site information
Controlled by	Italian Air Force
Site history
Built	1941
In use	1941–1945; 1947–present
Battles/wars	World War II

Airfield information
IATA: none ICAO: LIBA
Summary
Elevation AMSL	182 ft / 55.5 m
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 11/29 8,727 2,660 Asphalt

Overview

Amendola Air Base was primarily a training base for pilots of the AMX International AMX ground attack aircraft and the main base for Italy for AMX pilots. Now is main base gor Italian F-35 Lighting program.

The 28th Group operates the training center for Italian Air Force MQ-1C and MQ-9A Predator UAVs. The 632d Squadron provides connections through the aircraft supplied (MB339) training, flight personnel under the 28th Group in order to ensure adequate training level on traditional piloted aircraft.[1]

Aircraft assigned to Amendola Air Base include the following:[1]

• 13º Gruppo FBA (13th Fighter-Bomber Squadron) operating Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIs
• 28º Gruppo UAV (28th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron) operating 5 × RQ-1A Predator
• 432º Gruppo STO (432nd Technical Support Squadron)
• 532º Gruppo SLO (532nd Logistic Support Squadron)
• 932º Gruppo Efficienza Aeromobili (932nd (F-35A Lightning II) Maintenance Squadron)
• 632ª Squadriglia Collegamenti (632nd SAR and Communication Flight)

Amendola was also used operationally by NATO forces in 2011 as part of Operation Odyssey Dawn and Operation Unified Protector.[2]

History

World War II

Amendola Airfield was a pre-war Royal Italian Air Force (Regia Aeronautica) facility, built about 1931. With the surrender of Italy to the Allies on 3 September 1943, the German Luftwaffe quickly seized control of the airfield upon hearing of Italy's capitulation, and briefly used it as a combat airfield. However, Allied forces seized control of the Tavoliere plain in late September/October and occupied the airfield.[3][4]

Amendola Airfield in 1945

The United States Army Corps of Engineers eventually rebuilt the facility into a heavy bomber-capable airfield, to be used by bomber groups assigned 15th Air Force. It had two 6,000' x 100' runways laid over pierced steel planking, oriented 11/29. There were two perimeter tracks, and several other loop taxiways each containing about 100 aircraft parking hardstands, both of the double loop for bombers and single frying pan type for fighters. There may have been some temporary hangars and buildings; however, most personnel were quartered primarily in tents, and most aircraft maintenance took place in the open on hardstands. It also had a steel control tower.[4]

Operationally, Amendola became one of the largest USAAF airfield in Italy. Its first use was by the Twelfth Air Force 57th Fighter Group, which operated three P-40 Warhawk fighter-bomber squadrons from 27 October 1943. A second Twelfth Air Force Group, the 321st Bombardment Group moved in on 20 November 1943 with four B-25 Mitchell squadrons.[5]

In December 1943, Amendola was transferred to Fifteenth Air Force, which stationed two B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombardment Groups. The 321st BG moved out to Vincenzo Airfield and the 57th FG to Cercola Airfield by March 1944. Once the airfield was vacant by 12th AF the 2d Bombardment Group and 97th Bombardment Group moved in from bases in Tunisia.[5]

After being part of the Army of Occupation in Italy after the war, the 2nd Bombardment Group moved to Foggia Airfield in November 1945; the 97th moved to Marcianise Airfield in October, and by the end of 1945, the Americans had placed the airfield into an inactive status.[5]

Italian Air Force

On 1 February 1947 the vacant Amendola Airfield was turned over to the new Aeronautica Militare. The runway was lengthened for jet aircraft use, and its main mission was to train jet pilots on the de Havilland Vampire and Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star. In 1953, night fighter training commenced with the de Havilland DH.113s.

The Fiat G.91 arrived in 1954 which was used for almost 30 years for advanced pilot training.[3]

Not only training squadrons operated from Amendola. 32 Squadron (32 Stormo) arrived at the airfield in 1993 for operational use. It flew the twin-engine Fiat G.91Y. By 1995, all G.91 were retired and replaced by the modern AMX. With these aircraft, the squadron participated in 1997 and 1999 NATO missions over the former Yugoslavia. During the Kosovo war, Amendola hosted Belgian and Dutch F-16. In 2002, the Italian Air Force received their first MQ-1 Predator drones, which later together with the AMX fighter aircraft, were used in Afghanistan.[3]

Because of the pending in Amendola introduction of Lockheed Martin F-35 and in connection therewith preparations and rearrangements one of two formerly stationed here AMX squadrons (13 Gruppo) was dissolved in December 2013 an refounded with F-35s. On 12 December 2016 Amendola received the first two operational IAF F-35s marking the first combat unit operational with this model outside the US.[3]

See also

• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress airfields in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

1. Official website 32 Stormo
2. The Italian Air Force in Operation Unified Protector
3. German Wikipedia Militärflugplatz Amendola
4. AFHRA Document 00245069 ARMY AIR FORCES ENGINEER COMMAND, MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
5. Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.