Italian aircraft carrier Cavour (550)

"Cavour" (550) is an Italian aircraft carrier (CVH) of the Marina Militare, the Italian Navy. She is named after the Italian statesman and politician Camillo Benso, conte di Cavour.

Built by Fincantieri from 2001, "Cavour" was launched from the Riva Trigoso shipyard (Sestri Levante) on July 20, 2004. Sea trials began in December 2006, official commissioned March 27, 2008 and Full Operational Capability (FOC) is expected in early 2009 after finishing last work at Muggiano (Lerici) in summer 2008 and transfer to the new naval station on Mar Grande in Taranto. Cavour will be the new flagship of the Italian Navy.

Description

The ship is designed to combine fixed wing V/STOL and helicopter air operations, command and control operations and the transport of military or civil personnel and heavy vehicles. The 134 metre, 2,500 m² hangar can double as a vehicle hold, fitting up to 24 main battle tanks or many more lighter vehicles (50 Dardo IFV, 100+ Iveco LMV), and is fitted with side an aft 70 tons access ramps as well as two elevators rated up to 30 tons for aircraft. Cavour can operate also as Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) accommodating heavy transport helicopters (EH 101 ASH) and 325+ marines.

Initially she was to be named after Luigi Einaudi, then after Admiral Andrea Doria. When "Cavour" becomes operational, it will become the "Nuova Unità Maggiore" (NUM, or New Main Unit) of the Marina Militare, complementing the "Giuseppe Garibaldi". The ship was originally constructed in two sections (front and back) and later fused together.

External links

* [http://www.marina.difesa.it/programmi/portaerei.asp Cavour on the Marina Militare website]
* [http://digilander.libero.it/en_mezzi_militari/html/en_cavour.html History, technical details and a collection of photo of Cavour]
* [http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/num/ Naval-Technology]