On June 13, at 12.13, the second F35B aircraft of the Italian Navy (side number 4-02) took off from the FACO (assembly and production plant for the components of the F-35 aircraft) in Cameri (Novara) for the USA; final destination the air base of the Marines of Beaufort (South Carolina - USA) where the aircraft, together with the previous one (4-01), will support the training of Italian pilots and technicians destined for the F-35B line.
This line consists of latest generation aircraft intended to replace the AV8B PLUS (Harrier), in order to keep the power projection capacity on the sea and from the sea centered on the aircraft carrier updated. Cavour, in support of Italy's international rank and the strategic value of Defense.
Under the command of the frigate captain Giambattista Molteni, pilot pilot of the Italian Navy, who alternated with the captain Emiliano Battistelli, both in service at the Experimental Flight Center of the Italian Air Force of Pratica di Mare, the 4-02 aircraft carried out the flight with the support of a “package” of assets of the Italian Air Force consisting of a Eurofighter F-2000A escort fighter, a KC-767 tanker (aircraft for in-flight refueling) and a C-130J aircraft for ocean rescue.
Before reaching Beaufort, the aircraft made intermediate stops in Keflavik (Iceland) and in the US Air Force base in Andrews (Maryland - USA), to reach its destination on Monday 17 June at 1830 Italian time.
Before leaving Cameri, the commander of the Navy air forces, rear-admiral Placido Torresi, handed over to the cf Molteni a flag of the Navy which accompanied, as usual, the aircraft during the flight.
The third F-35B aircraft, already in an advanced stage of preparation at Cameri, will also be transferred to the Beaufort base to support the training of Italian personnel on F-35B; the current program foresees the carrying out of the first test flights in late summer and delivery in autumn. The initial training program in the US for Italian personnel will include, starting from July, approximately 18 months of flight and maintenance activities with the support of Marine personnel.
