The Italian Navy’s ITS Cavour (550) is the sole aircraft carrier in the fleet and has been in service for almost 16 years. The ship had a long period of performance of operations in more than one region of the world.
Most recently, a long-term deployment by the Italian Navy to the Pacific resulted in a successful transition from its sea-based AV-8B Harrier II “jump jets” to the F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter.
ITS Cavour: Yes, Italy Has an Aircraft Carrier
The carrier achieved initial operational capability (IOC) with this aircraft while exercising with partners in this Indo-Pacific deployment, said Carrier Strike Group (CSG) commander Rear Adm. Giancarlo Ciappina.
The IOC was declared in Yokosuka, Japan, on August 26, while the Cavour docked at the base along with the Italian Navy frigate ITS Alpino (F594) and French Navy frigate FNS Bretagne (D655).
“This campaign has been very fruitful for us to declare our initial operational capabilities of our F-35Bs, because all the training that we have been performing has composed the necessary frame for us to be able to operate the aircraft,” said Ciappina during a media conference on-board the carrier while docked at Changi Naval Base during a port visit to Singapore.
Ciappina said that the Italian Navy F-35Bs also reached IOC for sea-based expeditionary operations during this deployment. The Italian Navy led the operation with support from the Italian Air Force.
The Italian Air Force will subsequently lead the F-35 B’s land-based operations IOC with support from the Italian Navy. The majority of the models operated by the Italian Air Force are the F-35A model. However, the force still uses the B-model for dispersed operations from expeditionary airfields and sea-based operations from the Cavour.
Support From Down Under
The CSG additionally participated in the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) Pitch Black multinational exercise, which took place from July 12 to August 2, 2024, in Australia.
During this exercise, the F-35B carried out live firing of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) in the ocean waters near Guam, with activities also geared toward achieving the IOC.
“There are some things which are very difficult to duplicate in the European airspace,” Ciappina said. “In Australia and Guam, we had a huge airspace for training in, along with large firing ranges to operate in to carry out live firing.”
Ciappina added that thanks to these activities, Cavour would have no requirement to deploy again to the United States as was done in 2021, when he was the carrier’s commanding officer, to achieve the carrier group’s Full Operational Capability (FOC).
“Our aims over here [in the INDO-PACIFIC] are to develop new partnerships, to be interoperable with our partners and allies and going towards interchangeability,” said Ciappina.
He additionally explained that instead the amphibious landing helicopter dock ITS Trieste (L9890), would have to deploy to the US to become operationally certified for F-35B operations as the Italian Navy will use Trieste to operate F-35Bs when required.
“The most important part of the Cavour Carrier Strike Group is that it is a multinational effort and those ships have been integrated completely into the CSG under my command,” Ciappina said. He additionally pointed out that the operational staff of the Cavour CSG included officers from several partner nations.
ITS Cavour: Beyond the Rising Sun
Ciappina explained that an additional symbiosis achieved with the ITS Cavour deployment in Asia was the cooperative efforts with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
With Japan planning to operate F-35Bs from its Izumo-class destroyer helicopter carriers, the naval aviation command and pilots were looking to acquire a benchmark level of familiarity with the F-35B flight operations at sea.
ITS Cavour at Port. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The goal for the JMSDF was to learn the details of how the F-35B is operated on a ship of comparable size and gain insight on how F-35B carrier operations are managed on-board.
The ITS Cavour hosted JMSDF officials while it was docked in Japan, including both from the naval force, as well as F-35 operators from the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF).
During the time in Japan, the ship carried out the Noble Raven 24-3 exercise from 27-29 August with the JMSDF’s destroyer/helicopter carrier JS Izumo (DDH-183), the destroyer JS Onami (DD-111), a JMSDF submarine and a Kawasaki P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA).
(Jan. 3, 2014) The Italian navy aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (CVH 550), front, the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and the French navy aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R 91), conduct operations in the Gulf of Oman. Harry S. Truman, flagship for the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, is conducting operations with Task Force 473 to enhance levels of cooperation and interoperability, enhance mutual maritime capabilities and promote long-term regional stability in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ethan M. Schumacher/Released)
About the Author: Reuben F. Johnson
Reuben F. Johnson is a survivor of the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and is now an Expert on Foreign Military Affairs with the Fundacja im. Kazimierza Pułaskiego in Warsaw. He has been a consultant to the Pentagon, several NATO governments and the Australian government in the fields of defense technology and weapon systems design. Over the past 30 years he has resided in and reported from Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Brazil, the People’s Republic of China and Australia.
