2 , 0 0 0 ▁lb ▁may ▁be ▁carried ▁upon ▁the ▁center line ▁and ▁the ▁two ▁inn erm ost ▁under - wing ▁p yl ons , ▁while ▁the ▁outer ▁p yl ons ▁can ▁carry ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁lb . ▁All ▁four ▁of ▁the ▁under - wing ▁hard points ▁are ▁pl um bed ▁for ▁drop ▁t anks ▁to ▁extend ▁the ▁aircraft ' s ▁range , ▁Italian ▁aircraft ▁are ▁also ▁fitted ▁with ▁a ▁fixed ▁aer ial ▁ref uel ing ▁pro be . ▁Opt ical ▁reconna issance ▁pod s ▁can ▁be ▁carried ▁extern ally ▁on ▁the ▁center line ▁hard point . ▁Wing tip ▁rails ▁are ▁provided ▁for ▁inf ra red ▁gu ided ▁air - to - air ▁miss iles ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁A IM - 9 ▁Side w inder ▁and ▁M AA - 1 ▁Pir anha . ▁Italian ▁aircraft ▁are ▁fitted ▁with ▁a ▁M 6 1 ▁V ul can ▁ 2 0   mm ▁rot ary ▁can non ▁on ▁the ▁port ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁lower ▁fus el age . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁denied ▁the ▁sale ▁of ▁the ▁M 6 1 ▁to ▁Brazil , ▁thus ▁its ▁AM X s ▁are ▁instead ▁fitted ▁with ▁two ▁ 3 0   mm ▁DE FA ▁ 5 5 4 ▁revol ver ▁can n ons . ▁ ▁Oper ational ▁history ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁oper ational ▁squad ron ▁of ▁the ▁Italian ▁air ▁force , ▁the ▁ 1 0 3 ° ▁Gru ppo ▁of ▁ 5 1 ° ▁Storm o ▁formed ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 8 9 ,