The militaries of each NATO Ally rely on machines and vehicles to help them perform at the highest levels. Meet the men and women who operate those vehicles and learn how their machines help keep people safe.
This Italian pilot, who must remain anonymous for security reasons, flies the F-35A fighter jet, a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft. Learn about the aircraft, what equipment he needs to fly it and why he enjoys being in the skies in one of the most technologically advanced aircraft available to NATO. The pilot was part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission and was stationed at Ämari Air Base in Estonia.
Footage includes various shots of the F-35A in a hangar, taxiing down the airfield, taking off and in flight.
Transcript
— SOUNDBITE IN ITALIAN —
Italian Air Force pilot
“I am an Italian Air Force pilot and this is my machine...
the F-35A”
— TEXT ON SCREEN —
ME AND MY MACHINE
THE F-35A
— SOUNDBITE IN ITALIAN —
Italian Air Force pilot
“The F-35 is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft. It is about 15 metres long, 12 metres wide and I can reach a speed of 1.6 Mach. That’s one and a half times the speed of sound. It can reach an altitude of 50,000 feet (~15 km) and the sky up there starts becoming really dark.
— SOUNDBITE IN ITALIAN —
Italian Air Force pilot
“This is the equipment I use when I fly…
G-suit,
Flight jacket,
helmet
and lastly…
gloves.”
— SOUNDBITE IN ITALIAN —
Italian Air Force pilot
“Its main feature? Its low visibility.
Ta-da!
OK, maybe we exaggerated a bit, but it is invisible to radar.”
— SOUNDBITE IN ITALIAN —
Italian Air Force pilot
“Now I’ll tell you why I love flying the F-35. The F-35 is the most technologically advanced aircraft available to NATO and to our Air Force. It allows me to carry out previously unthinkable missions and to do it with extreme ease. And then, let me tell you, it’s really cool!”
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