An epochal date, this 1 June 2024 could not be defined otherwise, when
the 31st Naval Group sets sail from the Taranto base with the wishes of good
winds from the Chief of Staff of the Navy Admiral Enrico Credendino and the
Commander in Chief of the naval team Admiral Aurelio De Carolis.
The Cavour aircraft carrier accompanied by the Alpino frigate, have an
important job to do, a world first for the Marina
Militare (MM), an imposing but very demanding project that will require the
maximum commitment of men and vehicles for 5 long months, but as history
teaches us the challenges and objectives are prestigious, the greater the
commitment will be to achieve success.
The target is really important, the 31st Naval Group in its long mission
will be engaged in various exercises and will touch several countries, among
the most important exercises we undoubtedly mention Pitch Black 2024 in
Australia, a biennial exercise organised by the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF ), then sending the PPA Montecuccoli, the MM participated in the RIMPAC
exercise (Rim of the Pacific), the largest biennial international maritime
exercise in the world, organised by the US Navy, and in the Pacific Dragon
(again with the Montecuccoli ship), another maritime exercise international,
every two years organised by the US Navy with the collaboration of the Japan
Maritime Self Defense Force and the ROK Navy (Republic of Korea Navy), and
interactions with the US Navy.
But it is on Pitch Black 2024 that we want to focus in this article, an
exercise which saw the participation of 20 countries, Italy, Australia, France,
Germany, India (with 6 Sukhoi Su-30MKI), Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia,
Philippines ( with the brand new FA-50), Papua New Guinea, Republic of Korea,
Singapore, Spain, Thailand, UK, USA, Brunei, Canada, Fiji and New Zealand.
Our task is to document some activities regarding the exercise and
document the activities of the MM (and of the AM in an article dedicated to it)
with its own aerotactic component on board, i.e. the Grupaer, in this case
truly a world first with the last jewels delivered, i.e. the F35Bs, the
objective to be achieved is "simple", that is to develop cooperation
and interoperability and interchangeability in a multinational and inter-force
context, remembering that Italy with the embarked components of MM and AM is
among the few countries in the world capable of redeploying 5th generation
aircraft with their own component on board.
As you well know, it is not possible for us to publish the precise units
of the aircraft embarked, but the Cavour ship has reached the considerable
number of 13 aircraft embarked between F35B, AV8B and a two-seater TAV8B
aircraft, while the AM naturally reached the base autonomously doing more
stages accompanied by KC-767A refuelers.
Arriving at the Darwin base,
one realises an aspect that is always rarely highlighted, namely logistics.
Preparing such a large number
of men, vehicles and equipment in areas located well beyond our borders in a
short time has now become an essential skill to acquire, and here in Darwin all
the men of the MM and AM are working to prepare communications, equipment,
containers, armaments, spare parts etc., it is like a world within a world, but
it is essential that everything proceeds smoothly to allow our pilots to operate
as planned from 12 July to 2 August 2024 and so it was.
Living everyday life with
specialists, pilots, crew members and being "accepted" gives you a
different perception of their work, one of the things that impressed us most is
that even when everything seems perfect in reality it isn't, a myriad arrives
of problems, of variables, of misunderstandings, and this happens everywhere,
but what is striking about all this?
That all this is addressed and
resolved every time, the problems are addressed, the misunderstandings pass,
the variables evaluated and resolved, a total reliability of the entire ship
system and its air component which has practically reached 100% reliability.
Daily missions flown by blocks of 2-4-6 aircraft for the F35Bs and AV8Bs,
(all AV8B pilots will then transition to the F35Bs), night missions, COMAO of
over 30 airplanes, impressive to see sometimes even 20-25 airplanes waiting on
secondary runways or connections to obtain take-off authorisation, a curious
note is that Darwin airport, being also a civil airport, also accepts the
landing of small aircraft, and it was not uncommon to see 15-20 aircraft
remaining waiting even for 15/20 minutes stopped because a small tourist plane
had to land, something like that was unthinkable for our mentality.
As regards the MM aircraft, we
must say that the F35B component operated only from Darwin except for a couple
of occasions while the AV8B component operated both from the Australian base of
Darwin and from the Cavour ship depending on the exercise phases. GrupAer's
F35B aircraft, (data exclusively from the first week of activity) flew DACT
(Dissimilar Air Combat Training) missions with Australian F35, USAF F22, Korean
F15, Australian F18, IAF Su-30, Indonesian F16 and Japanese F2 aircraft.
BFM (Basic Fighter Maneuvers) with
Japanese F2s, IAF Su-30MKIs, French Rafales, the AV8Bs also flew BFM missions,
in practice these are close air combat, with Malaysian F18D aircraft, Italian
F2000s, DACT missions with Philippine FA50s, F35s and Australian FA/18Fs, with
missions lasting from one to two hours but which could be extended with the aid
of in-flight refueling (almost all the tanker aircraft were based at Amberley).
The latest data available is
the RANGE FAM missions (5 missions during the first week of exercise) flown for
the MM by both the F35B and AV8B, these are familiarisation flights at a range,
justified by the fact that both types of aircraft they carried out drops of
inert armament (MK82) 500 lb BDU45B, (in practice the inert bombs are equipped
with a precision GPS/laser guidance kit).
Two days before the end of the
exercise, the AM personnel arrive on the Cavour aircraft carrier and will have
to support the flight activities for the two AM F35Bs, which will continue the
campaign together with the MM personnel.
The Pitch Black 2024 exercise
ends on 2 August 2024 with a beautiful ceremony and exchanges of gifts by the
pilots of the various air forces who participated and for the MM/GrupAer
component it is the time to draw up an undoubtedly very positive summary of the
Carrier Strike Group and the exercise.
Tracing the official data in 22
days of training activity for the Air Wing, he reached 180 hours of flight,
conducted 110 missions including (as mentioned above) BFM, DACT missions,
in-flight refueling, take-offs, landings, air, air, air ground, and command and
control, SEAD.
Commander of GrupAer CV Gianbattista Molteni released the following
statement: “Finding ourselves planning and flying missions, some of which were
very demanding, represented an opportunity for growth for each of the pilots
assigned to the Group and for the specialist staff operating from the ground.
We were able to fly in packs of 40 or more aircraft, including American F-22
fighters, Singaporean F-15s and Indian Su-30MKIs, dealing with different
tactics and procedures, refueling from tanker aircraft of various nationalities
within an airspace as large as half the size of France, in the presence of
air-to-ground polygons and emitters of all kinds. The collaboration with our
Air Force colleagues with whom we operated in an effective, synergistic and
interchangeable manner was also fundamental and constructive, to consolidate
the national 5th generation expeditionary sea-based capability" stated
Captain Gian Battista Molteni, Commander of the Embarked Air Group, on the
sidelines of the closing ceremony of the exercise, which took place at the
Australian Air Base in Darwin.
The exercise was certainly preparatory for obtaining the IOC, as
confirmed by the CV Dario Castelli, Commander of the embarked Airwing, in this
regard he specified that: “The IOC of the F-35B component will allow us to
operate with the Allies, ensuring complete interoperability and
interchangeability. From this perspective, our participation in the Pitch Black
2024 exercise allowed us to increase and strengthen the ability to project
air-naval power from the sea, even in theatres located at greater distances
than the Wider Mediterranean and for prolonged periods of time. I underline
that currently our country is the only one in Europe capable of expressing a
credible projection capability from the sea based on a 5th generation aircraft
such as the F-35B".
The Navy pilots also played the
role of Mission Commander in some COMAOs made up of over 30/35 aircraft of
different generations and different nations. Air Commodore Pete Robinson,
Commanding Officer of the PB24 exercise, also valued the participation of the
Italian component during his speech at the end of the exercise, highlighting
that the Cavour aircraft carrier played an extremely important role, forging a
realistic scenario in line with the current operational theaters.
The Cavour aircraft carrier was
used as a command and control platform planning and coordinating some air
operations, sharing the tactical situation in Italy every day with CINCNAV
(Command in Chief of the Naval Squadron) and COMCOA (Command of Air
Operations).
An extremely positive note was
given by the Open Day on board the Cavour ship on 21 July, a day dedicated to
the over 1000 civilians who had the opportunity to visit the aircraft carrier,
enjoying the splendid day and being able to ask questions both to CV Molteni
(commander of Gruppo Aerei Imbarcati) who at CF Fabio B. pilots with almost
3000 hours of flight on AV8B+ considered one of the most expert and
professional pilots of this aircraft in the world.
Naturally, in addition to civilians, numerous
authorities had the opportunity to "see" our flagship up close,
including the Governor General of Australia, Hon. Samantha Joy Mostyn, the
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Hon. Richard Marles,
the Governor of the Northern Territory, Professor Hugh Heggie, the Minister for
Education, the Hon. Mark Monaghan, the Chief of Defense Staff, Admiral Cavo Dragoon,
accompanied by senior authorities from Australian Defence, the Navy and the Air
Force and the Italian Ambassador to Australia Paolo Crudele.
Our personal experience ends here, and we return to
Italy, but for the CSG the commitments will continue and will touch other
nations such as Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, India, Pakistan, Oman and
Saudi Arabia allowing it to continue carrying out all the training activities
that will involve the naval part and the embarked CSG, remembering that the two
F35B AMs will also remain operational on board until the end for perfect
integration between the FAs.
It did not surprise us, in fact, a few weeks after our
return to learn from the MM press release that:
“Following the results obtained by the Carrier Strike Group
and the achievement of the objectives of the embarked aerotactic component,
today we can declare the achievement of the Initial Operational Capability
(IOC) of the 5th generation national expeditionary sea-based capability”.
This is what was announced by the Chief of Staff of
the Navy, team admiral Enrico Credendino on board the Cavour aircraft carrier,
moored at the Yokosuka Naval Base, in Japan, as part of the Carrier Strike
operational projection campaign in the Indo-Pacific National group.
The Initial Operational Capability of the F-35B
component - obtained after over 2600 hours of flight and 2700 maintenance
interventions - attests to the ability to express, through the 5th generation
aircraft embarked on the Cavour aircraft carrier, offensive and defensive
missions to counter the air threat, of engaging land and naval targets and
suppressing enemy air defenses, projecting itself with the Carrier Strike Group
into remote areas and in complete logistical autonomy.
The F-35B flight group established on the Cavour
aircraft carrier, which achieved this significant milestone, is made up of
aircraft from the Navy's Embarked Aircraft Group and the 32nd Wing of the Air
Force. The Navy and Air Force have achieved a growing synergy in recent years,
culminating in the course of this projection campaign in the Indo-Pacific,
which has made it possible to accelerate the process of developing a national
capability of absolute value for Defence, which further increases readiness and
Italy's ability to contribute effectively, together with allies, to global
security and stability, wherever necessary.
Our country is the only one in the European Union to
be able to form a Carrier Strike Group with 5th generation assets and -
together with the USA and the UK - constitutes the very small core of NATO
allies with this capability. In this key, the Carrier Strike Group with the
F-35Bs is a concrete expression of Italy's rank as a medium regional power with
a strong maritime connotation, and represents a tool of reassurance for allies
or of deterrence towards potential adversaries: a versatile and flexible device
to project oneself and be influential wherever necessary.
With the achievement of Initial Operational Capability
it will be possible to promote new ones
opportunities for interoperability and
interchangeability between the Allies, thus conferring further
depth also to international cooperation.
“With the IOC”, added
Admiral Credendino, “the Maritime Defence Component takes a notable step
forward in expressing the ability to project forces from the sea even in
operational theatres far from the usual gravitation basins, for prolonged
periods of time, pursuing complete interoperability and interchangeability in
joint operations with allies and partners: one of the main objectives of the
Carrier Strike Group Campaign in the Indo-Pacific".
Text and all photos Gian Carlo Vecchi
The
author would like to thank for the opportunity the MM, the CA Jacopo Rollo, the
MM press office, the CA Giancarlo Ciappina, the CV Milos Argenton, the CV
Gianbattista M., CV Dario C, CC Antonio R., pilots, specialists and all the
staff of Nave Cavour for their support, and dedicates this report to Mauro B., father
of Davide, GrupAer pilot