There is movement of Italian planes over the Atlantic.
An Italian Air Force ATR P-72A (reg. MM62279) which took off from Lajes is heading northwest while a ItAF Lockheed KC-130J (reg. MM62181) which took off from Portsmouth is flying towards Lajes.
Most interestingly, however, an ItAF Boeing KC-767A (reg. MM62228), which departed from MCAS Beaufort is also heading towards Europe.
It is interesting because in the past few days, the organic F-35B training programme for Italian personnel at the US base has come to an end.
This movement of assets would therefore suggest that the two Italian Navy Locheed Martin F-35Bs (reg. MM7451, MM7452) that were stationed at Beaufort are on their way home.
This pair would be added to the third F-35B already operational and the fourth to be delivered shortly, providing an initial nucleus of four machines in the Italian Navy’s availability.