The delivery of the LHD Trieste represents a key moment in the national shipbuilding and defence industry history, being the largest military vessel built since the end of the Second World War, and for the most capable platform built under the latest Italian Navy’s fleet renewal programme, which saw the construction of seven Thaon di Revel-class MPCS/PPA in different configurations, the Vulcano LSS (Logistic Support Ship), the two UNPAV high-speed special forces support vessels and the Trieste itself. With the latter delivery, Fincantieri has expanded its portfolio of larger naval platforms, today centred on the Cavour STOVL aircraft carrier, positioning itself among the small group of worldwide shipbuilders capable to delivery such capability.
With a €1.19 billion contract awarded in June 2015 by the Italian MoD’s Naval Directorate of Armaments (NAVARM) to the temporary industrial consortium led by Fincantieri shipbuilder as agent and Leonardo as principal, combat system prime and integrator and main subcontractor alongside MBDA Italia and ELT Group, also including 5+5 years logistic and in-service support, the first steel took place in July 2017 and the ship launch was celebrated on May 2019 at Castellammare di Stabia (near Naples). The ship was then transferred to Muggiano shipyard near La Spezia for the outfitting completion and harbour and sea acceptance tests and trials, under the programme survey and contribution of NAVARM and the Italian Navy’s New Constructions and Outfitting Centre (MARINALLES), the latter also providing crew familiarization, before the official hand-over on last 15 November, allowing sailing activities by the Marina Militare personnel.
The Italian Navy Chief of Staff said during the ceremony:
“The LHD Trieste represents the most advanced technological avant-garde, the pride of our national shipbuilding industry. With this vessel, Italy’s Defence makes a further leap in expressing the ability to project forces from the sea, even in theatres of operation far from the usual gravitational basins and for prolonged periods of time, excellent testimony to the rank of our country as a medium regional power with a strong maritime connotation”,
“It is a ship designed to be flexible, sustainable and interoperable with a wide range of assets, at joint (armed forces), interagency and international level, being also capable of embarking up to 20 F-35B aircraft. It has a very advanced medical capacity and, thanks to its modular mission suite, can provide support for humanitarian and disaster relief operations in distant and difficult to access areas,” admiral Credendino said, remarking the significant potential for growth and adaptation to the evolution of operational needs and the technological updating of its different “payloads”, including aerial, surface and underwater unmanned vehicles.
“The flagship of our amphibious capability represented by the LHA Garibaldi (which was docked nearby for the event) leaves the baton to the LHD Trieste, retiring from the fleet operational frontline. The Garibaldi has been the first STOVL aircraft carrier of Italian Navy, opening the way to the establishing of the embarked fixed-wing component (GRUPAER) and has written memorable pages for Italy’s Defence,” highlighted admiral Credendino, referring to the ship operations in Somalia with Italian Army and Navy’s helicopters and AV-8B Harrier II Plus in 1995, in the Adriatic Sea participating to Operation Allied Force over Kosovo in 1999, in the Arabian Sea during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001 with the AV-8B Harrier II Plus equipped with Litening reconnaissance and targeting pod and laser guided bombs flying missions over Afghanistan, in front of Lebanon during Operation Leonte in 2006, in the Mediterranean Sea carrying out reconnaissance and air-to-ground operations during Libyan crisis, and more recently as amphibious assault and command and control platform with helicopters in the Mare Nostrum and Northern waters for EU/NATO Sea Power operations.
With the delivery to the Italian Navy on 7 December, “LHD Trieste was immediately assigned to the 3rd Naval Division devoted to amphibious operations in support of San Marco Marine Brigade, becoming the flagship of the Amphibious Task Group (ATG)”, said the ship commanding officer Francesco Marzi to Naval News. Together with the IT Carrier Strike Group (IT CSG) headed by Cavour carrier as flagship, the ATG makes up the Expeditionary Task Force (ETF), the operational component of the Italian Navy fleet. The F-35B operational capability will be reached after the platform warranty works with dedicated systems installation by Fincantieri planned to be conducted from the third quarter of 2025, and the future certification of the ship and its systems by the F-35 Joint Program Office with an RFO (Ready for Operations) campaign in the US which could occur from 2027.
Although the Trieste LHD will be homeported in Taranto, it is temporarily assigned to the La Spezia naval base, where the crew will conduct the initial training and familiarization with the new platform and combat systems, being supported by Fincantieri and Leonardo in addition to other suppliers’ personnel, to complete contractual activities. In the meantime, the ship capabilities will be tested under the supervision of the 3rd Naval Division to establish operational procedures and adjustments to amphibious operations doctrines, including the participation to main exercises which Naval News understood could include Mare Aperto and amphibious training events.
Conceived under the ‘dual-use’ and ‘one fits all’ concepts to accomplish a wide range of missions, from the support to amphibious and power projection operations from and on the sea in national-joint and multinational contexts with extended command and control capabilities, to the sustainment of Civil Protection and multinational agencies in disaster relief, humanitarian, medical and evacuation operations, the LHD Trieste will also be capable to operate as ‘alternate aircraft carrier’ vessel with the embarkment of the national 5th generation air component based on the F-35B STOVL aircraft from the Navy and Air Force, once the Cavour STOVL aircraft carrier won’t be available for maintenance or operational needs.
The LHD Trieste is designed to support and provide command and control for the Capacità Nazionale di Proiezione dal Mare (CNPM) or National Projection from the Sea (together with other amphibious assets), an national amphibious force centred on the Italian Navy’s San Marco Marine Brigade and the Italian Army’s Lagunari Regiment in addition to other selected same service’s units. Italy also participates to SIAF/SILF (Spanish-Italian Amphibious Force/Spanish-Italian Landing Force) and the European Amphibious Initiative.
The LHD Trieste can embark an amphibious force of 600 units among men and women with main battle tanks (MBTs) and wheeled vehicles, including the Ariete MBT and the VBA amphibious armoured vehicle, exploiting the helicopters and landing crafts which can respectively operate over the horizon from the ship’s flight and well decks. The ship can also provide medical support, potable water (up to 70 m³ for day) and electrical power (ca 2,500 kVA) ashore for humanitarian/disaster relief operations.
With an overall length and beam of respectively 245 (213.4 between perpendicular) and 55 meters with working elevators, featuring a 230×36 m flight deck, a construction height of 27.7 meters, a draught of 9.1 m which becomes 11 m with the flooded well deck, and a full load displacement of 35,050 tons, 33,700 and 36,770 tons respectively in the amphibious, air operations and transport configurations, the new LHD has a full length deck with a starboard-positioned island based on two separated blocks, two lateral elevators connecting the flight deck with the hangar in the central-stern area, hospital, accommodation and CIC/C4I facilities in the bow-central areas in the upper and lower decks and a stern well deck with forward heavy-vehicles garage with lateral and stern ramps for respectively ground vehicles and landing craft (in addition to ground vehicles). Weapon systems, fire control and organic boats with davits are distributed over sponsons around and under the flight deck level, while main combat system and air traffic sensors are concentrated on the two-block island. The latter features the ship’s bridge and other platforms command and control on the forward block in addition to the main surveillance Kronod Power Shield radar, while the flight bridge and the communications and EW mast are accommodated on the rear block island.
Certified by RINA Services according to the latest anti-pollution (MARPOL) and green international rules, the new platform has wide accommodations and living spaces for a total of 1,064 personnel: the crew with around 435 units including the flight operations department (ca 75 units), the rest being allocated to the amphibious force and the embarked air component group.
With a propulsion package in a CODOGOL (COmbined Diesel Or Gas Or eLectric) configuration based on two shafts with controllable pitch propellers (CPP) and rudders provided by Fincantieri, and gearboxes from Renx, centered on two Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbines each rated at 38 MW, two MAN 20V32/44CR diesel engines rated at 12 MW each and two 2.25 MW-each General Electric Power Conversion reversible electric motors, totaling 76 MW power on two shafts. Electrical power generation package for both ship systems and propulsion is provided by four 5.4 MW-each MAN 9L32/44CR gensets alongside the reversible electric motors. The propulsion and electrical power supply packages are accommodated in non-contiguous and separated compartments to enhance survivability. The platform is equipped with fixed stabilizing fins to ensure operations in high-sea states and two bow and one stern thruster to facilitate operations in restricted waters.
Thanks to the CODOGOL configuration, the ship can reach a maximum speed of 25 knots on gas turbines, 18 knots on main diesels and 10 knots on electric motors, while the endurance is 7,000 nautical miles at 16 knots and the logistic endurance 30 days.
Air, C4I, amphibious, transportation, and hospital capabilities of Trieste
With a length and (max) beam of respectively 230 and 36 m and a 7,400 m² surface area, the flight deck presents a 12° ski-jump and nine spots for take-off and landing (six on the port and three on the starboard deck side; the latter include the forward SAR spot and two for emergencies) for rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft including EH-101, NH-90, CH-53, V-22, CH-47, AV-8B and F-35B air assets, and two 40 t lateral foldable elevators (14×15 m) positioned on each side of the ship behind the two-block island. The ship is also equipped with smaller ammunitions and medical elevators (one for each mission) respectively positioned behind and in front of the forward island block.
The ship is equipped with a 107.8×25-21 m (lengthxbeam) hangar (Deck 5) with an overall 2,200 m² surface and 7,8-10,7 m height which can host both fixed-wing and rotary-wing platforms and maintenance activities or accommodate materiel and land vehicles. The latter can reach the hangar from the lower garage deck through an internal 4ramp and a 40t elevator. The hangar is divided into two sections respectively devoted mainly to parking (up to six aircrafts) and maintenance activities (up to two aircrafts) by fire barriers and is characterized by two 6 tons overhead rail cranes and one 10 tons overhead crane for materiel movement and aircraft maintenance activities (up to the third level for helos) such as engines replacement. Alternatively, the hangar can accommodate land vehicles for up to 530 linear meters.
A extended flight bridge manages both flying and deck as well as hangar aircraft movement, while air planning, surveillance and traffic control is managed by a dedicated centre and CIC consoles.
Although the flight deck and hangar facilities has been conceived for operations with a range of manned rotary- and fixed-wing platforms and unmanned air vehicles, the initial SHOL (ship-helicopter operations limits) trials are planned to be conducted with Italian Navy’s EH-101 and NH90 helicopter versions while later on, interoperable activities are expected to be focused on Italian Army and Air Force platforms. Interestingly, Naval News was confirmed the LHD Trieste has facilities for command, control and communications equipment for unmanned platform operations.
The LHD Trieste will be the alternative platform to carry the F-35Bs with an embarked air component which can reach up to 20 aircraft in addition to two SAR/transport helicopter. The ship has been designed since the beginning to carry the 5th generation STOVL aircraft with a thermal metal spray treatment of the flight deck, acoustic protection and fitted for areas to accommodate the Special Access Program Facilities (SAPF) and the Automatic Logistic Information System (ALIS) in addition to equipment magazines and landing and navigation equipment. Italy’s Parliament recently approved a programme to allow the LHD Trieste to fully operate the F-35B. These activities are expected to be conducted by Fincantieri concurrently with the one-year warranty work to be launched in the Q3rd 2025. In addition to the security enhancements and equipment installation, the package will also include the Joint Precision Approach Landing System (JPALS), the AN/SPN-41B and the Aircraft Inertial Alignment System (AIAS).
The LHD Trieste has extensive facilities to fulfil the command & control functions of complex amphibious operations as Commander Amphibious Task Force/Commander Landing Force (CATF/CLF). The ship main operational areas are concentrated on Deck 3: in addition to ship’s 220 m² Command Information Center (CIC), the Propulsion Operational Centre (POC), air operations planning and traffic control centers and F-35 operational secured facilities, a large modular area of 430 m² is devoted to command, control, communications, computer and information (C4I) equipment for amphibious and humanitarian/disaster relief operations in a joint and multinational domain and the coordination of air/naval and land operations in an interoperable NATO and EU contest.
On the same hangar deck, the LHD Trieste has a large NATO Role 2E hospital area of 770 m (extendable with sheltered solutions) with surgical and intensive care capacity centered on two surgery rooms and pre-medication and post-awakening rooms (up to 2 stations) and one intensive care and resuscitation room (up to 7 stations), together with an hospitalization capacity of two recovery rooms (up to 8 beds) and two infective recovery rooms (negative pressure) (up to 4 beds), in addition to radiology and analysis rooms, dental office and other facilities.
The core of the amphibious operations support facilities is Deck 7 which accommodates both the garage and well deck interconnected by a large ramp and two overhead rails with two 5 tons trolleys each. Being flooded through water ballast and pumps, increasing the draft up to 2 m, the 50x15x10 m (750 m²) well deck has a mooring capacity of up to four new LC 23 LCMs (Landing Craft Mechanized) built by Cantiere Navale Vittoria o alternatively a single US LCAC (Landing Craft Air Cushion) or other Allied and national landing assets. With an overall length and beam of respectively 23.8 and 6.6 m, the new LC23s offer roll on-roll off capabilities and are able to transport a maximum load of 65 tons or one Italian Army’s Ariete main battle tank in alternative to 300 soldiers or five Lince light multirole vehicles at a 13.5 knots maximum speed (with maximum load) with a crew of four in a protected steering station with navigation and communication equipment allowing over-the-horizon operations. The boats organic capability is centered on two FFC15 high-speed multirole combat boats built by Baglietto Navy, in addition to two-each 7.1 and 9.3 m RHIBs launched and recovered by stations on ship sponsons.
The forward positioned garage deck has a 900 m² (55x19x6 m) surface and up to 250 linear meters of parking for heavy vehicles up to the Ariete MBT and various materiel. The latter can be embarked from the well deck and the side deck ramps, each capable to handle the heaviest vehicles. For materiel movement from and to ashore, the ship is equipped with two 30 tons cranes on the starboard ship side.
In overall, the garage and hangar decks offer a combined 850 linear meters vehicle capacity which alongside the flight deck space (350 linear meters) can reach a total of 1,200 linear meters. The new assault ship can also carry 2,000 and 1,900 m³ of respectively F76 and F44 fuel types, in addition to ammunitions and potable waters.
Platform, C4I and combat systems aboard Trieste
The LHD Trieste exploits the latest electronics and systems developments achieved with the Legge Navale’s fleet renewal programme. The Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) is based on the Fincantieri NexTech SEASNavy new generation product family, while Leonardo provides the latest generation SADOC Mk 4 Command Management System (CMS) equipped with about 20 single large 43-inch touch-screen multifunction consoles and remotely-based processing and data management centres, in addition to a Command Support System. An additional dozen consoles and five tactical tables provided by Leonardo together with Fincantieri NexTech and Martec are distributed among the main bridge, CIC and other centres. Aside the 220 m² CIC, are positioned the air planning and traffic management centres, as well as the facilities for unmanned systems’ C2. Leonardo also provides the core of the extensive internal and external communications suite with software defined radios, multiple data links processor (Link 11, 16, 22, VMF and JREAP), military and commercial multi-band SATCOMs, in addition to advanced cyber defence. In addition to an internal networking system (INS), the integrated navigation suite includes GEM Elettronica’s two Gemini dual-band radars.
The integrated sensors’ suite by Leonardo includes the new four fixed-faces X-band StarFire AESA radar (with provision for the C-band radar of the DBR suite) and the new generation L-band Kronos Power Shield early warning radar characterized by an AESA rotating antenna and fully digital architecture with ‘digital beamforming’ for long-range surveillance, detection and tracking of both air breath and ballistic missiles threats. These radars are integrated with the Leonardo SIR-M-PA IFF system equipped with conformal antenna, as well as the new generation EW suite by ELT Group based on an EW manager controlling Radar Electronic Support Measures, Communication ESM and Radar Electronic Counter-Measures systems. The EW suite is interfaced with Leonardo two ODLS-20 (Oto Melara Decoy Launching System) decoy launchers for air warfare and underwater defence.
The LHD is also equipped with Leonardo Distributed Static Staring (DDS) IRST EO/IR suite alongside the Sitep Italia Multirole Acoustic Stabilized System with surveillance and non-lethal weapons (acoustic cannon and laser dazzler) suite (two turrets) respectively distributed on the two-block island and ship sponsons to provide a 360° coverage.
The air traffic and approach suite includes Leonardo SPN-720 solid-state, low probability of Intercept (LPI) naval precision approach radar, Thales Italia TACAN with lightweight electronically scanned antenna and Calzoni visual landing aids. The JPALS, AN/SPN-41B and the AIAS will be installed later on with other equipment for F-35B operations.
Three Leonardo 76/62 mm Super Rapido Multi-feeding gun mountings in the Strales configuration with DART guided ammunition, controlled by the same number of dual-band radar/EO NA-30S Mk2 fire control systems (FCS) and three remotely controlled KBA 25/80 mm guns with coaxial EO/IR FCS provide the defence against missiles, surface and asymmetric threats. The ship is also with fitted for but not equipped (Level 1) with the MBDA Italia SAAM Extended Self-Defence (ESD) air-defence system based on two vertical launching systems (2×8 cells each) for a total of 32 Aster 15/30 missile on the starboard ship’s side. The latter system addition is high on Italian Navy’s agenda.
The underwater protection is ensured by Leonardo obstacle/mine avoidance sonar (OAS) sonar together with the Black Snake towed-array torpedo detection system (TDS) integrated, through an RMS (Reaction Management System), with the already mentioned two OLDS-20 decoy launchers which will be equipped with MJTE decoys.
