LIGHTNING IITHE FIGHTER EVOLUTION - F-35

I

74

F-35 LIGHTNING II Operator profile – Italy

talian industry has secured $1.7bn

in F-35 production contracts to date

and that figure is expected to rise

considerably to over $9.9bn over the life

of the programme. Lockheed Martin and

its partners have awarded more than 100

contracts to dozens of Italian companies.

As well as local engine production, the

Italian Final Assembly and Check-Out

(FACO) facility at Cameri employs more

than 1,200 people. Operated by Leonardo

in conjunction with Lockheed Martin,

the FACO produces F-35s for the Italian

military. It’s now also building F-35As for

the Netherlands and will serve as a central

hub for deep maintenance in Europe.

Italy intends to procure a total of 90 F-35s,

with the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air

Force) programmed to receive 60 F-35A and

15 F-35B models, while the Marina Militare

(Italian Navy) will acquire 15 F-35Bs.

On September 7, 2015, AL-01, the

first Italian-produced F-35A, made its

maiden flight, followed on February

5, 2016, by a transatlantic crossing to

NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.

In December 2016, the Italian Air Force’s

first F-35As arrived at Amendola to

commence operations. The F-35As, assigned

to 32° Stormo, achieved initial operational

capability (IOC) on March 1, 2018. The

first five aircraft officially became part of

the country’s national air defence system as

part of the Air Space Surveillance Service

(Servizio Sorveglianza Spazio Aereo,

SSSA) the same day. Although the aircraft

are not yet standing quick reaction alert

(QRA), if required they can carry a Standard

Conventional Load (SCL) that includes the

LIGHTNING’S

Italy is set to operate both the F-35A and B variants and has also secured

considerable industrial benefits.

LIGHTNING’S

EUROPEAN HUB