The Italian Air Force is the largest operator of the MB-339 . The service , which received its first examples during 1978 , has procured multiple batches and models of the type over the years ; for several decades , it has been flown as its principal trainer aircraft . In addition to its use as a general trainer , the MB-339 is also flown by the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic display team ; during 1988 , three aircraft were lost during a tragic air display in Germany . During October 2013 , it was announced that the Italian Air Force intended to replace its MB-339s with newly built M-345s in the long term . Despite the introduction of the first Italian M-345 during 2015 , the service plans to continue operations with the type for many years to come
a tragic air display in Germany
Ramstein air show disaster
Aermacchi MB-339