The aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (C 550) and the frigate ITS Alpino (F594), which departed from Taranto in early June, have arrived in Darwin, Australia.
Benvenuti! The @ItalianNavy aircraft carrier ITS Cavour and frigate Alpino F-594 are making a splashy debut at Exercise Pitch Black 24! 🇮🇹⚓️🇦🇺
— Royal Australian Air Force (@AusAirForce) July 10, 2024
📸 | LAC Kurt Lewis & LACW Annika Smit#PitchBlack24 #StrongerTogether #AusAirForce pic.twitter.com/6RkoWL8bqb
During the journey, the two units made a technical stop in Singapore.
On board the Cavour, there are 7 AV-8B+ and 4 F-35B aircraft (two from the Italian Air Force and two from the Navy). The two ships have arrived in Australia, where they will participate in the Large Force Exercise (LFE) “Pitch Black,” organized by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), along with aircraft from the Italian Air Force, among others.
This exercise is a preparatory step for achieving the Initial Operational Capability Sea-based of the F-35B aircraft on board.