I hopen this post to discuss a little bit about what's going on in the italian navy.
I'll divide this post in 3 categories: Pro (what I think is good and why), against (what i think it's bad) and neutral (all the rumors that is going around the italian navy right now or project already financed but still not started)
PRO:
- Italy will build 2 more submarine U212
The U212 is ranked as one of the best disel submarine, Italy has already 4 and has financed the biuld of other 2 to use as patrol and ASW. Obviously, seeing that in an hypotetical war, Italy and Spain would be the two main power for the NATO/EU alliance in the Mediterranean, starting to change older submarines it'a always great.
-Italy has begun the construction of the 1st of 7 PPA (pattugliatori d'altura)
Italy has begun the construction of it's new PPA, there are many complains about these ships because these 7 vessels are devided in 3 subclasses.
2 ships will be build in a Light Version that looks like a normal PPA, other 3 will be build in a Light+ Version that looks like a light destroyer and other 2 in Full Version that looks like a full sized destroyer.
The complains is that to the italian parlament all of these 7 vessels should have been of the Light version, but instead has been created 3 subcategories, more than all, when discussed the ships should have been 120 meters and 3500 tons, instead all of the versions now are 140 meters, the light version is 4000 tons, the light+ 5000 tons and the full is 7000 tons.
- Italy is keeping up with it's order of 10 FREMMs
Despite what the critics has said at the beginning of this project, italy hasn't reduced his order and is still building all of it's 10 FREMM frigates. France unfortunately has reduced his order.
- Italy is building 2 new Supply Ships
Italy has finally begun the construction of two new supply ships that should be of around 23.000/26.000 tons to replace older classes that were around 8000 tons lik e the Vesuvio class. The ship will also capable of small self defence and will have a landpad for helicopters.
- Trieste LHD
Italy is currently building the Trieste LHD, an anphibian assault ship of 33.000 tons and 245 meters, this ship is 4000 tons bigger than the Carrier Cavour and the same length.
There is controvercies around this ship too because when it was financed by the parliament it should have been an Humanitarian Ship of 27.000 tons without jet launch capabilities.
Instead now it's beginning to become a carrier because of the increased size and rumor says that a modular SkiJump has been put on order.
- F-35B
Italy has ordered 15 F-35B, the italian navy right now is using Harriers as carrier aircrafts.
The F-35B program is controversial and his potential too, but the Harriers is starting to show its age and the F-35 will be for sure a good improvements for the italian navy.
Many said that 15 F-35B is too few for two carriers, but hte two carriers are meant to be used with only one with full air wing at the time and only if the other isn't available at the time so could be used as was done till now, 6/8 planes onboard the carrier in mission and only 2/4 on the other one.
- V-22
Italy has shown interest in the V-22 and would order 3 of such aircrafts to use it as a supply aircraft to resupply the carriers without the need of sending a supply ship or coming back to the harbour.
AGAINST:
- ATR72
Italy has recently bought the ATR72 in ASW version to patrol the coast and the mediterranean, the problem is that the capabilities of the ATR as an ASW plane isn't so sure and it's quie a controversial plane seeing the current world tension.
- Has been remarked multiple times that the state of the older vessels of the navy (that will be retired from service in 2022/2025) are not good enought and in a real war situations it wouldn't be of much help, critics has said that maybe it would be better spend some money to restore these ships instead that on a new LHD.
NEUTRAL:
- AW609
Rumor says that italian navy would have request to start the developpement of the aircraft AW609 built by Leonardo in an AWACS variant in order to be used on the Cavour carrier and on the future Trieste carrier.
-LHD 27.000 tons
Seeing that the Trieste will take the place of the Garibaldi and one of the San Marco Class landing ship (8000 tons) there is the need of one more landing ships to take the place of the other two San Marco Class ship, one more LHD has been financed and should be of around 27.000 tons, but a full rendered project hasn't still been approved.
I'll divide this post in 3 categories: Pro (what I think is good and why), against (what i think it's bad) and neutral (all the rumors that is going around the italian navy right now or project already financed but still not started)
PRO:
- Italy will build 2 more submarine U212
The U212 is ranked as one of the best disel submarine, Italy has already 4 and has financed the biuld of other 2 to use as patrol and ASW. Obviously, seeing that in an hypotetical war, Italy and Spain would be the two main power for the NATO/EU alliance in the Mediterranean, starting to change older submarines it'a always great.
-Italy has begun the construction of the 1st of 7 PPA (pattugliatori d'altura)
Italy has begun the construction of it's new PPA, there are many complains about these ships because these 7 vessels are devided in 3 subclasses.
2 ships will be build in a Light Version that looks like a normal PPA, other 3 will be build in a Light+ Version that looks like a light destroyer and other 2 in Full Version that looks like a full sized destroyer.
The complains is that to the italian parlament all of these 7 vessels should have been of the Light version, but instead has been created 3 subcategories, more than all, when discussed the ships should have been 120 meters and 3500 tons, instead all of the versions now are 140 meters, the light version is 4000 tons, the light+ 5000 tons and the full is 7000 tons.
- Italy is keeping up with it's order of 10 FREMMs
Despite what the critics has said at the beginning of this project, italy hasn't reduced his order and is still building all of it's 10 FREMM frigates. France unfortunately has reduced his order.
- Italy is building 2 new Supply Ships
Italy has finally begun the construction of two new supply ships that should be of around 23.000/26.000 tons to replace older classes that were around 8000 tons lik e the Vesuvio class. The ship will also capable of small self defence and will have a landpad for helicopters.
- Trieste LHD
Italy is currently building the Trieste LHD, an anphibian assault ship of 33.000 tons and 245 meters, this ship is 4000 tons bigger than the Carrier Cavour and the same length.
There is controvercies around this ship too because when it was financed by the parliament it should have been an Humanitarian Ship of 27.000 tons without jet launch capabilities.
Instead now it's beginning to become a carrier because of the increased size and rumor says that a modular SkiJump has been put on order.
- F-35B
Italy has ordered 15 F-35B, the italian navy right now is using Harriers as carrier aircrafts.
The F-35B program is controversial and his potential too, but the Harriers is starting to show its age and the F-35 will be for sure a good improvements for the italian navy.
Many said that 15 F-35B is too few for two carriers, but hte two carriers are meant to be used with only one with full air wing at the time and only if the other isn't available at the time so could be used as was done till now, 6/8 planes onboard the carrier in mission and only 2/4 on the other one.
- V-22
Italy has shown interest in the V-22 and would order 3 of such aircrafts to use it as a supply aircraft to resupply the carriers without the need of sending a supply ship or coming back to the harbour.
AGAINST:
- ATR72
Italy has recently bought the ATR72 in ASW version to patrol the coast and the mediterranean, the problem is that the capabilities of the ATR as an ASW plane isn't so sure and it's quie a controversial plane seeing the current world tension.
- Has been remarked multiple times that the state of the older vessels of the navy (that will be retired from service in 2022/2025) are not good enought and in a real war situations it wouldn't be of much help, critics has said that maybe it would be better spend some money to restore these ships instead that on a new LHD.
NEUTRAL:
- AW609
Rumor says that italian navy would have request to start the developpement of the aircraft AW609 built by Leonardo in an AWACS variant in order to be used on the Cavour carrier and on the future Trieste carrier.
-LHD 27.000 tons
Seeing that the Trieste will take the place of the Garibaldi and one of the San Marco Class landing ship (8000 tons) there is the need of one more landing ships to take the place of the other two San Marco Class ship, one more LHD has been financed and should be of around 27.000 tons, but a full rendered project hasn't still been approved.
