The Italian air force is coming under renewed pressure to reduce its personnel numbers, at the same time as it faces losing aircrew to airlines.
Air force personnel number over 75,000, with staff costs rising from 37.9% of the its budget in 1989 to 46.6% of the 1996 budget.
In comparative terms, the air force still has 199 personnel for each of its 371 front-line aircraft. This compares badly with the German air force, which has 168 people per aircraft, and the Royal Air Force, which has 135.
The Italian air force lost 130 pilots in 1995, with many moving to the commercial sector.
Source: Flight International