Eurofighter Typhoon DA7

DA7 was built by Alenia and first flew on 27 January 1997 with Napoleone Bragagnolo at the controls; it was the second aircraft with EJ200 engines. On 15 December 1997 it made the first AIM-9L launch, and two days later, on 17 December, the first AIM-120 release. On 17 June 1998 it carried out the first jettison of 1,000-litre underwing tanks. From April 2001 it flew AMRAAM and AIM-9L launch trials from Decimomannu air base, followed by PIRATE sensor testing; a second launch series at Decimomannu took place in December 2001. In July 2002 it made the first refuelling from an Italian Boeing 707T/T tanker. In November 2003 it completed a successful AMRAAM launch from the outer wing station, and in January 2004 the first PIRATE tracking test was flown, followed in March by IRIS-T launches from the outer station. In early 2007 the aircraft supported PIRATE development as an IRST and FLIR sensor, Striker helmet trials and further air-to-ground testing with laser designator pods. On 10 September 2007 it was placed in storage at Cameri and displayed there as a gate guard; it was repainted and presented at Pratica di Mare in 2023, and is now preserved at the Italian Air Force museum at Vigna di Valle.