Italian Carrier Cavour Arrived In Marmaris

Italian aircraft carrier ITS C-550 Cavour in Marmaris. Photos: haber7.com

The Italian aircraft carrier C-550 ITS Cavour arrived in Marmaris as planned, today.

The Italian task force commanded by Rear Admiral Carlo Massagli, consists of carrier ITS C-550 Cavour, destroyer D-554 ITS Calio Dulio and the fleet tanker A-5327 ITS Stromboli.

The destroyer and the tanker have docked at the Aksaz Naval Base adjacent to the touristic town of Marmaris. The highly visible aircraft carrier however docked at the port in Marmaris usually used by large passenger ships.

According to Wikipedia, Cavour was laid down by Fincantieri on 17 July 2001, and she was launched from the RivaTrigoso shipyard in SestriLevante, on 20 July 2004.

The ship is designed to combine fixed wing V/STOL and helicopter air operations, command and control operations and the transport of military or civil personnel and heavy vehicles. The 134 metre, 2,800 m² hangar space can double as a vehicle hold capable of holding up to 24 main battle tanks  or many more lighter vehicles, and is fitted aft with access ramps rated to 70 tons, as well as two elevators rated up to 30 tons for aircraft. Cavour can also operate as Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH), accommodating heavy transport helicopters and 325 marines.

The ship is armed with following weapons:

• 4 × 8 cell A-43 Sylver launchers carrying the MBDA Aster 15 surface to air missile
• 2 × Oto Melara 76/62 mm Super Rapido gun
• 3 × Oerlikon Contraves25/80 mm AA gun

The Italian ships will stay in Marmaris until 12th February 2013.

Click here for the video of Cavour in Marmaris.

Click here for more photos.