Aircraft Carrier Cavour Prepares to Receive F-35B Aircraft (Italy)

Italian Navy ^ | 10/27/2010

[sukhoi-30mki]

Aircraft Carrier Cavour Prepares to Receive F-35B Aircraft

(Source: Italian Navy; issued Oct. 27, 2010)

(Issued in Italian only; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com)

From Oct. 18 to Oct. 22, the aircraft carrier Cavour hosted a Site Specific Activation Plan Midterm meeting (SSAP), part of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program according to which the Italian Navy plans to acquire 22 F-35B Short Take-Off and Landing (STOVL) combat aircraft between 2014 and 2021.

The meeting was attended by representatives of various Italian and US government agencies ((SEGREDIFESA, MARISTAT, NAVARM, UTNAV Genova, GRUPAER) as well as industry representatives from Lockheed Martin, Fincantieri e Selex Sistemi Integrati.

Working together with Cavour crew members, the meeting sought to identify the best technical solutions to allow the first new-generation aircraft on the ship in 2016.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: With Britain’s decision to drop the F-35B version of the Joint Strike Fighter and switch to the F-35C carrier version, the Italian navy is now the only export customer for the STOVL variant.)

-ends-

[sukhoi-30mki]

The Italian Navy carrier Cavour has begun preparations to embark the first F-35B STOVL version of the Joint Strike Fighter in 2016. (Italian Navy photo)

[John O]

Displacement: 27,100 tons 30,000 tons(full-load)[1]
Length: 244 m
Beam: 39 m
Draught: 8.7 m
Propulsion: 4 × General Electric/Avio LM2500+ gas turbines providing 88.000 hp
6 × Diesel generators (13.200 KW)
Speed: 28+ knots
Range: 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h)
Complement: 451 Crew
203 Fleet Air Arm
140 C4 staff
325 Marines (standard)
Armament: 4 × A43 SYLVER VLS for 32 Aster-15 SAM
2 × Oto Melara 76/62 mm Super Rapido gun
3 × Oerlikon Contraves 25/80 mm AA gun
Aircraft carried: 20[2]

8 x AV-8B Harrier IIs (combat jet)
12 x EH101 AEW/HEW and other helicopters

[RexBeach]

This ship looks like it was built in UK.

Is this a new ship?

[John O]

And for comparison the specs on the USS Nimitz (CVN-68)

Class and type: Nimitz-class aircraft carrier
Displacement: 100,000 long tons (110,000 short tons)[1]
Length: Overall: 1,092 feet (332.8 m)
Waterline: 1,040 feet (317.0 m)
Beam: Overall: 252 ft (76.8 m)
Waterline: 134 ft (40.8 m)
Draft: Maximum navigational: 37 ft (11.3 m)
Limit: 41 ft (12.5 m)
Propulsion: 2 × Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors
4 × steam turbines
4 × shafts
260,000 shp (194 MW)
Speed: 31.5 knots (58.3 km/h)[2]
Range: Essentially unlimited distance; 20 years
Complement: Ship’s company: 3,200
Air wing: 2,480
Sensors and
processing systems: AN/SPS-48E 3-D air search radar
AN/SPS-49(V)5 2-D air search radar
AN/SPQ-9B target acquisition radar
AN/SPN-46 air traffic control radars
AN/SPN-43C air traffic control radar
AN/SPN-41 landing aid radars
4 × Mk 91 NSSM guidance systems
4 × Mk 95 radars
Electronic warfare
and decoys: SLQ-32A(V)4 Countermeasures suite
SLQ-25A Nixie torpedo countermeasures
Armament: 2 × 21 cell Sea RAM
2 × Mk 29 Sea Sparrow
Armor: Classified
Aircraft carried: 90 fixed wing and helicopters

[sukhoi-30mki]

Italian built-it’s their second carrier (cum amphibious assault ship) and was inducted two years ago.

[cameraeye]

I spent four years on the USS Nimitz from 1980 to 1984 and that was the glory days of my life.

[snoringbear]

“Italian built-it’s their second carrier (cum amphibious assault ship) and was inducted two years ago.”

Sooo, what’s Italy going to do with it?

[RexBeach]

Well, I see the Italians still build good looking ships.

Thanks for the info!

[jdege]

Invade Malta?

[Freeport]

Most likely to steam the Adriatic to torque off the Greeks... :-)

[Non-Sequitur]

Sooo, what’s Italy going to do with it?

Look for someone to surrender to.

[magslinger]

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[fredhead]

I too spent 39 months from 80 to 84 up in OE Division on Nimitz. Best ship I served upon. Also 86 - 90 on JFK and 93 - 96 on Ike.

“Teamwork A Tradition”

“BOHICA - Our Screws Never Stop”

[ryan71]

Nice baby carrier.

[jfkcv67bt]

I served 74-77 on JFK. We used to moor next to Nimitz in Norfolk.

[Non-Sequitur]

I too spent 39 months from 80 to 84 up in OE Division on Nimitz. Best ship I served upon. Also 86 - 90 on JFK and 93 - 96 on Ike.

'Haze gray and underway' had a real meaning for you then.

[Drennan Whyte]

I served 74-77 on JFK. We used to moor next to Nimitz in Norfolk.

I was in OX Division during the same period. Joined the ship in Portsmouth about 5 months before the end of the overhaul. Two Med cruises, the Northern European cruise, and two escorts trashed, all in one tour. Those were the days.

I remember being moored at Pier 12 across from the Nimitz when Gerald Ford visited her. Must have been right when or shortly after her commissioning.

[Yo-Yo]

Compare it to the US Navy’s Wasp class amphibious assault ship:

General Characteristics, Wasp Class

Builder: Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Ingalls Operations, Pascagoula, MS.
Date Deployed: July 29, 1989 (USS Wasp)
Propulsion: (LHDs 1–7) two boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total brake horsepower; (LHD 8) two gas turbines, two shafts; 70,000 total shaft horsepower, two 5,000 horsepower auxiliary propulsion motors.
Length: 844 feet (253.2 meters).
Beam: 106 feet (31.8 meters).
Displacement: LHDs 1-4: 40,650 tons full load (41,302.3 metric tons)
LHDs 5-7: 40,358 tons full load (41,005.6 metric tons)
LHD 8: 41,772 tons full load (42,442.3 metric tons).
Speed: 20+ knots (23.5+ miles per hour).
Crew: Ships Company: 66 officers, 1,004 enlisted
LHD 8: 65 officers, 994 enlisted
Marine Detachment: 1,687 troops (plus 184 surge).
Armament: Two RAM launchers; two NATO Sea Sparrow launchers; three 20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts (two on LHD 5-8); four .50 cal. machine guns; four 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns (LHD 5-8 have three 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns).
Aircraft: 12 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters; 4 CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters; 6 AV-8B Harrier attack aircraft; 3 UH-1N Huey helicopters; 4 AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters. (planned capability to embark MV-22 Osprey VTOL tilt-rotors).
Landing/Attack Craft: 3 LCACs or 2 LCUs.

[John O]

I spent four years on the USS Nimitz from 1980 to 1984 and that was the glory days of my life.

Thank You for your service.

The CVNs are beautiful ships. While I've never been in uniform I've worked for the Navy for near 30 years now. The CVNs are perhaps my favorites (Although I like the LCS-2 hullform).

The only problem I have with them is getting lost on the gallery deck

[Ronin]

With Britain’s decision to drop the F-35B version of the Joint Strike Fighter and switch to the F-35C carrier version, the Italian navy is now the only export customer for the STOVL variant.

I am sure that Japan is more than a bit interested.

JDS Hyuga

Designation: CVH (DDH)
Length: 650 ft
Width: 108 ft
Beam: 108 ft
Displacement: 20,000 tons (full load)
Propulsion: 2 GE LM2500 COGAG, 2 shafts
Speed: 30+ knots
Crew: 350 (+ Air Wing)
Airwing: Up to 18 helo (vstol)
Armament:
- 1 X 16 Cell Mk 41 VLS
- 2 X 2 20mm Phalanx CIWS
- 2 X Triple 324mm topedoe tubes
Elevators: 2
Ships in class: 2
http://www.jeffhead.com/worldwideaircraftcarriers/16ddh0a.jpg