1st Flight Italian F-35B

Photo was e-mailed today with details to follow later - so I gather first Italian F-35B flight was very recent.

https://www.windstarembroidery.com/cw2/ ... 51_250.gif

Looks good. So was this one assembled in Cameri? And if so, will it go over to MCAS Beaufort to train?

Yes & Yes AFAIK - details elsewhere on this forum.... Some renegotiating (reneging) on the Italian training F-35s:

viewtopic.php?f=58&t=24829&p=373445&hilit=Italian+Cameri#p373445
&
viewtopic.php?f=58&t=24829&p=373426&hilit=Italian+Cameri#p373426 (train in Europa)

First Italian F-35B will fly to USofA for E3 testing sometime in 2018: viewtopic.php?f=57&t=53064&p=367414&hilit=Italian+Cameri#p367414

MORE INFO: viewtopic.php?f=57&t=53064&p=367300&hilit=Italian+Cameri#p367300

Italian F-35B pilots will train at MCAS Beaufort from 2018 so I'll imagine that first Italian F-35B will remain in 'merica:

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=28644&p=321842&hilit=Italian+Beaufort#p321842

OLD NEWS about ELEVEN! Italian F-35s to be in USofA for training: viewtopic.php?f=57&t=27430&p=292971&hilit=Italian+Beaufort#p292971

"...In total, 11 Italian aircraft will go to the US for Italian Air Force and Navy pilot training. Air Force pilots will head for Luke to train on the conventional-takeoff and -landing F35A, and both Italian Navy and Air Force pilots will train at Beaufort Air Force Base in South Carolina with the short-takeoff, vertical-landing (STOVL) variant...." http://www.defensenews.com/story/defens ... /71037536/

First F-35B Assembled Outside Of The U.S. Makes First Flight In Italy
24 Oct 2017 David Cenciotti

“BL-01” is the first Italian F-35B STOVL jet.
"On Oct. 24, the first F-35B, the Short Take-Off Vertical Landing variant of the the F-35 Lightning II, the first assembled internationally, flew its first sortie from Cameri airfield, home of the Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility, in northwestern Italy.

The aircraft, designated BL-1, is the first F-35B assembled internationally. The aircraft should be delivered to the Italian MoD soon. Then, after a series of “confidence flights” from Cameri, an Italian pilot will fly the first F-35B jet to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, to conduct required Electromagnetic Environmental Effects certification. The next Italian F-35B aircraft is scheduled for delivery in November 2018.

Based on the previous LM releases, the aircraft should be destined to the Italian Navy. However, for the moment it was not given any specific unit markings...."

Source: https://theaviationist.com/?p=45322

First Italian-Built F-35B Makes First STOVL Flight
Cameri Air Base, Italy // October 31, 2017

Italy’s first F-35B Lightning II, a Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant assembled at the Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility and known as BL-1, flew and hovered here for the first time today.



https://www.f35.com/news/detail/first-i ... ovl-flight

seems odd that Italy has the least amount of discussion/drama around the F-35.

Because it might be the most controversial among the other partners.

No political parties really want to talk about the F35 as they fear some serious loss of consensus and technically speaking, we cannot afford the bird.

Because it might be the most controversial among the other partners.

No political parties really want to talk about the F35 as they fear some serious loss of consensus and technically speaking, we cannot afford the bird.

And the fallback position is futile. The politicians can waive their hands around all they want, but there won't be any other replacement for the F-35B for Italy.
The Italian Navy currently has only 14 Harriers operational and 2 trainers according to Flight Global.

Commander: There Are Plans for Replacing the AV-8B Aircraft?
Harrier's replacement as we know will be the JSF F-35B, the only heir to the latest generation and capable of being used on board the Navy's new flagship, Nave Cavour. The exact date of his entry into service for the Navy is still not well defined; At present, the phase-out of AV-8B aircraft is set for 2023. Final data on the number of aircraft that will be purchased and other information about the F-35 program have not yet been officially released and we are waiting for the publication of the book White Defense by the political authority from which the determinations on the details of the abilities to be derived will be derived.

Translation Required:
http://www.aviation-report.com/harrier- ... -militare/

Actually, is more like "nobody talks about it,hence the issue isn't there ".

The public opinion stays silent and both the navy and the airforce are free to get their deserved upgrades.

Still; Italy shouldnt commit yet to the JSF; but that's another issue that you wouldn't understant anyway (since none of you lives in Italy).

Political considerations, wrangling, aside; Italy certainly can't be ridiculed on the technical side

Nice job Italian aerospace.

..The public opinion stays silent and both the navy and the airforce are free to get their deserved upgrades.
..

....recently there was a "bit of a rise" about the Cameri Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) when LM announced the program schedules. Italy has invested substantially in Cameri beyond the FACO and "playing nice" could be in regards to both the $$$ and the jobs (both, popular with the pols).

.... as others have said, "Ottimo lavoro!" to Cameri and best wishes for the future!

Might be ALSO because the motherfuckers sitting in the parliament are all absorbed by the new electoral law...


...since past 3 years.