Italy’s air force has taken delivery of three new Piaggio Aerospace P180 Avanti Evo+ aircraft to support training activities.
The twin-engined assets will be assigned to the service’s Air Transport Training School at Pratica di Mare air base near Rome.
Piaggio is on contract to deliver a dozen more new-build examples of the nine-seat type for use by the Italian armed forces in the light utility role, and to perform retrofit work to bring earlier aircraft to an enhanced standard.
The company says it “expects to deliver one more new aircraft and a retrofitted one by February 2025”.
Enhancements embodied as part of an Avanti II+ modernisation activity on Rome’s older examples include the introduction of updated avionics, and new landing gear with enhanced anti-skid, braking and steering systems.
The Italian air force re-introduced its lead example of the upgraded Avanti II+ late last year.
