Cavour-class aircraft carrier

Basic information

Type:

Aircraft carrier

Operators:

Italian Navy (Marina Militare)

Country of build:

Italy

Builder:

Fincantieri

Planned:

Completed:

In service:

2008 – present (16 years)

Ship measurements

Displacement:

30,000 t

Length:

244 m

Beam:

39 m

Machine

Propulsion system:

COGAG

Propulsion:

4 * General Electric/Avio LM2500+ gas turbines providing 88,000 kW (118,000 bhp)
6 * diesel generators Wärtsila CW 12V200 13,200 kW (17,700 bhp)
2 * shafts

Speed:

29 knots

Range:

7,000 nmi (13,000 km; 8,100 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)

Personnel

Complement:

1,202

Combat assets

Electronics:

Selex RAN-40L 3D L-band long-range radar
Selex ES EMPAR (SPY-790) multifunction radar
Selex ES RAN-30X/I RASS (SPS-791) surface radar
2 * SELEX ES RTN-25X Orion, fire direction radars
PAR (Precision Approach Radar) Selex ES MM/SPN-720
PALS (Precision Approach and Landing System) Telephonics AN/SPN-41A
2 * GEM Elettronica MM/SPN-753(v)10 navigation radars
Selex ES SIR-R/S IFF system
TACAN SRN-15 A
WASS SNA-2000 Mine Avoidance Sonar (Leonardo Thesan)
2 * Selex ES IRST SASS (Silent Acquisition and Surveillance System)
GEM Elettronica IRST EOSS-100
underwater telephone
Elettronica Spa NETTUNO-4100 ECM System
EW System (RESM/CESM, RECM)

Armament:

4 * 8-cell A-43 Sylver launchers carrying the MBDA Aster 15 surface-to-air missile
2 * Oto Melara 76/62 mm Strales guns
3 * Oerlikon Contraves 25/80 mm Anti-aircraft guns
2 * ODLS-H/ODLS OTO Melara decoy launching systems

Aircraft:

10 * AV-8B Harrier IIs and
12 * AgustaWestland AW101

The Cavour-class aircraft carrier has highly flexible operational capabilities, which enable to carry out the functions of an aircraft carrier, as well as transport wheeled and tracked vehicles.

The vessel is equipped with a flight deck designed for operating with helicopters and V/ STOL aircraft. There is also a hangar/garage of 2,500m². The ship’s conventional non-nuclear plant propulsion system is the most powerful (88 MW) built to date, and her controllable pitch propellers are at the cutting edge of naval technology.

Ships1

Aircraft carrier Cavour (550)