F-35 - The Italian Perspective

[loke]

Cavour video. It's a Superb view...

Thanks for sharing! A truly amazing system.

According to this web site: https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/num/
Cavour can handle 8 F-35B -- is this the maximum, or the "standard" number of F-35

How are things going with Trieste? Why is it different from Cavour, I am guessing it would be cheaper to build two identical?

[steve2267]

Cavour is about 27,000 tons. Trieste is roughly 33,000 tons. Trieste has a well deck capable of handling large vehicles via LCAC and/or L-CAT. Cavour has a well deck, but it is much smaller, having only two landing craft for personnel.

Yesterday I was researching Cavour. Wikipedia stated Cavour could handle sixteen (16) F-35B's with six on the deck, and ten in the hangar. FWIW.

ETA: If I were the Italians, I'd be looking at exporting Cavour's to other nations. It seems to be the smallest size boat that can carry a Lightning squadron. (Maybe someone could build a 15,000 ton boat that could carry 8-12 Lightnings, but unless it was super cheap, why would you buy it if you could get a Cavour-class?)

[spazsinbad]

Gallery of CAVOUR F-35B pics at DVIDS: https://www.dvidshub.net/search?q=Cavour&view=grid [weirdness in IE11]
to:
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/6542489/ ... -navy-ship

"Royal Navy Lt. Cmdr. Barry “Baz” Pilkington hovers in an F-35B alongside the Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (CVH 550) as he prepares to cross over and vertically land aboard the carrier on March 1, 2021 following the successful landing by Marine Corps Maj. Brad “HJOP” Leeman. The vertical landings conducted by the two Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 pilots mark the first landing of an F-35 aboard ITS Cavour (CVH 550). The F-35 Pax River Integrated Test Force is underway in the Atlantic to conduct F-35B Sea Trials aboard ITS Cavour over a multi-week testing period." https://www.dvidshub.net/download/image/6542489 5.5Mb

[doge]

Gallery of CAVOUR F-35B pics at DVIDS: https://www.dvidshub.net/search?q=Cavour&view=grid ]

Great URL page post! (Lots of photos...! )

---[Edit]---
I noticed my own double post when spaz pointed it out. (Ouch! )
Sorry for the trouble.

[spazsinbad]

DEAR 'doge' you have repeated the DVIDS article you posted earlier on previous page: viewtopic.php?f=58&t=24829&p=450797&hilit=beautiful#p450797

[spazsinbad]

F-35, Cavour sea trials also test logistics [Are NAVair publicists incompetent? LIGHTING again <sigh>]
05 Mar 2021 NavAir PR

"NORFOLK NAVAL STATION, Va.--A container marked “PAX Flight Deck Gear CAVOUR DET 2021,” tri-wall boxes for the work centers, shipping containers with massive aircraft air & power units, engine trailers, and other aircraft support equipment (SE) were craned aboard, forklifted through the hangar, and positioned aboard Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (CVH 550) moored here the last week of February.

The Italian navy flagship arrived here Feb. 13, 2021 as part of the Italian navy’s Ready for Operations (RFO) campaign to certify the recently upgraded ship’s compatibility with F-35 Lighting II aircraft and prepare to operate the 5th generation fighter as its key weapons system.

Before the arrival of the specially instrumented U.S. test jets that will be used to develop and expand a flight envelope, the special tools, parts (those required plus those possibly needed), and support equipment must be aboard and in its place. This undertaking is all in a (couple of) days’ work for F-35 Patuxent River Integrated Test Force (PAX ITF) logistics lead and his team, as well as the many who support the mission.

That effort comprises ensuring that “part of PAX” gets aboard the ship before two F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) test jets ferry from the southern Maryland naval air station to the aircraft carrier after it sets sail, said the PAX ITF logistics team supervisor....

...The logistics team is part of a more robust embarked PAX ITF flight test team of almost 200 people. They will conduct sea trials for up to four weeks to collect data that will ultimately lead to the certification for Cavour’s company to safely conduct carrier operations with Italy’s own F-35Bs."

Source: https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/F-35-C ... 52021-1055

[zerion]

Video: F-35B Aboard Italian Navy Aircraft Carrier ITS Cavour

Two F-35B Lightning II jets landed aboard Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour on March 1st, marking a first for the Italian Navy.

Xavier Vavasseur 10 Mar 2021

The Italian Navy flagship arrived at the US Navy base in Norfolk in mid-february for a series of operations alongside U.S. military assets to attain the Italian Navy’s “Ready for Operations” certification to safely land and launch F-35B aircraft.
For about four weeks Cavour and her crew will test the flight deck and verify the impacts with the fifth-generation aircraft in key take-off and landing moments in different trim conditions and in relation to various factors such as winds and sea state.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/20 ... ts-cavour/

[spazsinbad]

Screenshot from above video shows TRIESTE with a [modular bolt on] ski jump now.

[spazsinbad]

CAVOUR mentioned along with potentially the first Italian female F-35B or Harrier pilot - just an exceprt here but go thither for more: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5967&p=451338&hilit=Tucker#p451338

"...“In 2000, the Italian parliament approved the opening of the armed forces to women,” Pitto said. “After 20 years they [women] are fully integrated in all operational domains of the navy where they operate on surface ships, submarines, amphibious platoons, special forces, and helicopter squadrons. It is with great pride that now we see a woman also complete jet training and qualify as a STOVL (short take-off vertical landing) pilot. Ensign Raballo’s achievement is a testament to her intellect, skill, and determination to succeed.”

Before reporting to VT-9, Raballo completed primary flight training in T-6B Texan II turboprop trainer aircraft with the “Shooters” of VT-6 under Training Air Wing 5 at NAS Whiting Field in Milton, Florida.

Like her classmates, Raballo is part of a new generation of strike fighter pilots to qualify on state-of-the art Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) used on aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and all future Gerald R. Ford-class carriers: the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG). She completed T-45C carrier qualifications on Ford in the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida coast, Feb. 5, which she said was her favorite part of the strike pilot training pipeline.

“Landing on the aircraft carrier for the first time was mind blowing,” Raballo said. “I was so nervous at first and I have to say thank you to my paddles (landing signals officers), Lt. Allen Vohden and Lt. Sean Lawrence, for all the patience and effort they put into preparing me skill wise and mentally for that big challenge.”

Raballo will continue to postgraduate training at one of two U.S. Marine Corps fleet replacement squadrons to learn to operate either the F-35 Lightning II or the AV-8B Harrier.

Training alongside allies and partners increases our collective capacity and capabilities, and increases interoperability with U.S. forces. Raballo’s achievement comes as Italian navy aircraft carrier ITS Cavour is conducting flight certification operations with U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft off the coast of Norfolk...."

[doge]

Excellent Results.
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/391248/f- ... nt-results

F-35B sea trials with Italian carrier feature teamwork, achieve excellent results
WESTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN, UNITED STATES 03.11.2021 Story by F-35 Joint Program Office Public Affairs
WESTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN (March 11, 2021) — As the second week of F-35B sea trials aboard the Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (CVH 550) begins, talk of the test plan has turned to discussion of specific test points tallied, moving the Italian Navy one nautical mile closer to certification to operate the fifth generation fighter aboard its flagship.
Cavour set sail from Norfolk Naval Station, Virginia, Feb. 28, and specially instrumented developmental flight test jets from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 performed vertical landings for the first time March 1.
Since then, the embarked test team from F-35 Patuxent River Integrated Test Force (Pax River ITF) has partnered with the ship’s crew, working in some cases shoulder-to-socially-distant-shoulder to achieve test objectives.

“The first full week at sea has yielded great progress in our planned testing, and we are well on our way to capture all necessary data to permit the development of a highly useful and flexible operating bulletin for F-35 operations aboard ITS Cavour that will serve the Italian Navy well for decades to come,” said Andrew Maack, F-35 Pax River ITF chief test engineer and site director. “The leadership of ITS Cavour recognizes that our unique and sometimes unconventional flight operations are necessary to make our sea trials objectives successful and they are pulling out all the stops to provide flexible and aggressively helpful cooperation in all ship departments at all levels in the organization. The partnership could not be stronger.”
The flight deck is visible evidence of the growing working relationships.
“Watching the teamwork that Italians and Americans are doing on the deck is truly rewarding and honorable. I am proud of the excellent results achieved in just one week of work,” said ITS Cavour commanding officer Italian Navy Capt. Giancarlo Ciappina. “The cooperation between the American ITF and the Cavour ship crew represents, today, the emblem of the historic link between Italy and the USA. We feel proud protagonists of these “pages of history” for the Italian Navy and we are grateful to the American staff who is working closely with us for this achievement.”

The ship’s rhythmic rise and fall—the horizon visible one moment, gone the next—and the sometimes “angry” sea with its white caps, are the backdrop for Cavour’s ponte di volo, or flight deck. On this ‘tela’, or canvas, per se, is a rainbow of life preserver vests, inside of each is a key partner in successful air operations.
“Watching the teamwork on the deck is exciting. There is an exchange of knowledge between the professionals and we are working to the best of our abilities and skills for the success of the Ready for Operations campaign of the aircraft carrier Cavour, milestone of the Italian Navy,” said Italian Navy Cmdr. Mario Massacci.
The F-35 Pax River ITF and ITS Cavour are conducting sea trials as part of Italian Navy’s “Ready for Operations” campaign that will bring the fifth generation fighter aircraft to the navy’s flagship.

[f35phixer]

My Boyz and Gurls out there.... Was quite a feat getting all the STUFF with CV19 straight!

[doge]

Wow! CooooooL...
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/6557978/ ... its-cavour

Italian Navy aircraft marshaller directs F-35B aboard ITS Cavour
WESTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN, UNITED STATES 03.14.2021 Photo by Dane Wiedmann F-35 Joint Program Office
WESTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN (March 14, 2021) – An Italian Navy aircraft marshaller directs a U.S. F-35B Lightning II aircraft from Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 loaded with inert GBU-12s in preparation to launch for the first ski jump short takeoff (STO) flight test aboard Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (CVH 550) March 14, 2021. This was the first day of weapons, or external stores, flight test during Cavour’s sea trials with the F-35B, the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft that will serve as the ship’s key weapon system. Cavour is in phase one of its two-phase “Ready for Operations” campaign. U.S. Navy photo by Dane Wiedmann

[spazsinbad]

USS Gerald R. Ford and ITS Cavour operating together https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlI_fzKcsas

[loke]

More photos, and also some text:

https://sldinfo.com/2021/03/the-uss-ger ... photo-ops/

[spazsinbad]

TEST F-35Bs doing the CAVOUR (limbo dance in the vertical): http://alert5.com/2021/03/27/amazing-ph ... more-87782

http://alert5.com/wp-content/uploads/20 ... 7-1002.jpg (many more at above URL so CLICK on 'em)

"ATLANTIC OCEAN (March 15, 2021) A U.S. F-35B Lightning II performs an aft-facing vertical landing aboard the Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (CVH 550) in the Atlantic Ocean March 15, 2021. The aircraft was conducting flight test to expand the safe flying envelope during sea trials for the fifth generation fighter aircraft and the upgraded Italian Navy flagship. Cavour just completed phase one of its two-phase Ready for Operations campaign. U.S. Navy photo by Dane Wiedmann"