Italian Air Force

Italian Air Force Aeronautica Militare
Coat of Arms of the Italian Air Force
Founded	28 March 1923 as Regia Aeronautica
Country	Italy
Size	43,000 personnel 545 aircraft
Part of	Italian Armed Forces
Motto(s)	Latin: Virtute Siderum Tenus (English: With valor to the stars)
March	Marcia di Ordinanza dell'Aeronautica Militare (Ordinance March of the Air Force) by Alberto Di Miniello
Anniversaries	28 March (Air Force Day)
Decorations	1 Cavalier Cross of the Military Order of Savoy 3 Cavalier Crosses of the Military Order of Italy 2 Gold Medals of Military Valor 1 Gold Medal of Aviation Valor 5 Silver Medals of Military Valor 2 Silver Medals of Civil Valor 1 War Cross of Military Valor 1 Silver Medal of Merit of the Italian Red Cross 1 Gold Medal of Benemerited Public Honor 1 Gold Medal of Merit for Public Health
Commanders
Chief of Staff of Military Aviation	Lieutenant General Enzo Vecciarelli
Insignia
Roundel

The Italian Air Force (Italian: Aeronautica Militare; AM) is the aerial defence force of the Italian Republic. The Air Force was founded as an independent service arm on March 28, 1923, by King Victor Emmanuel III as the Regia Aeronautica (which equates to "Royal Air Force"). After World War II, when Italy was made a republic by referendum, the Regia Aeronautica was given its current name. Since its formation the service has held a prominent role in modern Italian military history. The aerobatic display team is the Frecce Tricolori.

Among the earlier adopters of military aviation, Italy's air arm dates back to 1884, when the Italian Royal Army (Regio Esercito) was authorised to acquire its own air component. The Air Service (Corpo Aeronautico Militare) operated balloons based near Rome.

In 1911, reconnaissance and bombing sorties during the Italo-Turkish War by the Servizio Aeronautico represented the first ever use of heavier than air aircraft in armed conflict.

On 28 March 1923, the Italian air force was founded as an independent service by King Vittorio Emanuele III of the Kingdom of Italy (Regno d'Italia). This air force was known as the Regia Aeronautica (Royal Air Force). During the 1930s, the fledgeling Regia Aeronautica was involved in its first military operations, first in Ethiopia in 1935, and later in the Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939. After a period of neutrality, Italy entered World War II on 10 June 1940 alongside Germany. The Regia Aeronautica could deploy more than 3,000 aircraft, although less than 60% were serviceable. The Regia Aeronautica fought from the icy steppes of Russia to the sand of the North African desert losing men and machines.