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corso Giambone 46/18
10135 Torino (Italy)

Ground-attack NH-500E Unveiled

Seen for the first time at the Tricolore '96 air show, held at Reggio Emilia on June 23rd 1996, an Italian Air Force Breda Nardi NH-500E equipped with two podded rocket launchers.
The aircraft was coded 72-01 (MM81264 c/n 202) belonging to the IAF helicopter basic training unit based in Frosinone.
72nd Wing performs the training also for other helicopter equipped State Services like the Police, Carabinieri, Fire Corps, Coast Guard and Forest Department: it uses two NH-500MD (MM81352-81353) and fifty NH-500E (MM81263 to MM81312), the last one being used as a test bed for the qualification of the stabilization system to be installed on the whole fleet.
The limited but effective ground-fire suppression capability of the IAF NH-500E may be effective for escort mission to the HH-3F engaged in "combat SAR" missions.

In the picture: Breda Nardi NH-500E MM81264 (s/n 202) of the IAF 72ns Wing, equipped with two rocket launchers at the Tricolore '96 air show in Reggio Emilia on 23th June 1996.

(Aeromedia)

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