Italian Air Force F-35B lands on Cavour aircraft carrier during drills

Europe, News November 23, 2021 , by IRIA No Comments

An F-35B aircraft of the Italian Air Force landed on the Italian Navy’s aircraft carrier Cavour for the first time during the military exercises with the U.S. and Britain on November 21.

The landing of the aircraft marks the joint activities between the Italian Air Force and Navy as well as with the U.S. Marines and British Royal Navy.

The Italian Air Force fighter aircraft flew together from the Cavour and landed on the British Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth in the Mediterranean. The U.S. Marine’s F-35Bs also took flight from the UK’s carrier and landed on Italy’s Cavour carrier, before the Italian, British, and U.S. F-35B’s maneuvered together.

Italian Chief of Staff Admiral Cavo Dragone described the event as “historic” and said, “The aerial activity aboard the Cavour aircraft carrier, carried out in full synergy between the Navy and the Air Force, represents a milestone in the development of the national ability to project the potential offered by the new fifth generation aircraft from the sea, the F-35B.”

“With this activity we are turning a new page where interoperability and the concept of Joint and Combined synergy between armed forces are concrete facts,” the Italian Air Force statement said.

The main feature of the joint exercise was about coordinated operations between the F-35Bs from different countries, however, the major advance was that the Italian Air Force and Navy aircraft flew side-by-side marking interoperability between forces.

Italy is set to procure 90 F-35 fighter jets, of which 60 are F-35As and 30 F-35Bs. The Italian Navy and Air Force are both expecting to receive 15 aircraft each. The Italian Air Force is planning to deploy its 15 F-35Bs in missions that require the aircraft to take the skies from short runways.

The Italian Navy procured three of the 15 F-35Bs from the United States., two of which are training in the U.S., and the third fighter jet was delivered to the Cavour in July 2021. The Italian aircraft carrier Cavour returned to Italy from the U.S. after carrying out trials of F-35Bs. The Italian pilots conducted intensive training activities with the U.S. Navy to certify the flight deck its new aircraft. After the completion of sea trials, the Italian F-35B successfully landed on aircraft carrier Cavour.