Italian prosecutors are investigating the reported disappearance of nearly 2,500 components for Tornado and AMX fighter-bombers, as well as C-130 tactical transport aircraft of Italy’s air force. The missing material is valued at approximately €17 million.
The case, as reported by La Repubblica, is being handled by the Rome public prosecutor’s office together with a military prosecutor, and reportedly involves around 10 people under investigation, including senior Italian Air Force logistics officials, several generals, and executives linked to GE Avio, a GE Aerospace subsidiary involved in military aircraft maintenance in Italy.
Italian Air Force fully cooperating
In a statement published on February 23, 2026, the Aeronautica Militare said it had provided “full and immediate availability” to both civil and military judicial authorities from the outset, including documentary and informational material useful to clarifying the facts under review.
The Italian Air Force also said it had established an internal technical fact-finding commission and that any faults or individual misconduct, if established by the competent authorities, would result in personal responsibility being addressed firmly.
Potential South American network
The parts are believed to have gone missing between 2021 and 2023 from an air force depot in Brindisi, where GE Avio had a contractual role in servicing military aircraft. Investigators are reportedly reconstructing inventory movements and reviewing loading and unloading records, technical certifications, and responsibility chains.
According to La Repubblica, investigators are examining a possible South American destination, including Brazil, for some of the missing components, but described this as only one scenario under review at this stage. No official confirmation of that alleged destination has been announced.
