Italy's involvement in the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme will reach two fundamental milestones later this year, with its defence ministry needing to provide final approval for the establishment of a national final assembly and check-out facility, and to define its participation in the US project's operational test and evaluation (OT&E) phase.
"A detailed report on the [final assembly] facility will be finalised and presented to the government soon, in order to keep with the programme pace," says Gen Gabriele Salvestroni, head of the Italian air force chief of staff logistics department.
Italy has outlined a requirement for 131 F-35s to be delivered between 2014 and 2025, with these to replace its air force AMX and Panavia Tornado strike aircraft and navy Boeing AV-8B Harrier II Plus multirole fighters.
"The Italian air force is finalising the right mix of CTOL [conventional take-off and landing] and STOVL [short take-off and vertical landing] aircraft, within the 109 nominally allocated aircraft," said Salvestroni, speaking during the 24-25 May Giornata Azzurra air show at Pratica di Mare air base, which attracted 100 aircraft and over 200,000 spectators. "A decision will be taken this year," he added.
As a Level 2 partner on the JSF project, Italy must also finalise its participation in the OT&E programme, together with the Netherlands and the UK. "We are looking to contribute with a maximum of two aircraft in the CTOL version, as well as a mix of pilots," said Salvestroni, with final arrangements also to be made this year. Initial steps are also being taken to conduct joint aircraft training and operational conversion activities in the USA, he said.
According to Italian air force plans, first deliveries in the F-35B STOVL configuration are expected in 2014 to replace AMXs based at Amendola air base, with initial operational capability to be reached in 2016. Subsequent F-35A CTOL deliveries will replace AMXs at Istrana, followed by Tornados currently based at Ghedi and Piacenza, but to eventually be amalgamated at Ghedi.
Source: Flight International
