Trieste at Castellammare di Stabia, Italy in 2020
History
Italy
NameTrieste
NamesakeTrieste, a city and seaport in northeastern Italy
Awarded3 July 2015
BuilderFincantieri, Castellammare di Stabia, Naples, Italy
Cost€ 1.171 billion[6]
Yard number6260[2]
Laid down20 February 2018[4]
Launched25 May 2019[1]
Sponsored byLaura Mattarella
CommissionedSpring 2024 (Projected)[3]
IdentificationPennant number: L9890
StatusSea trials[5]
General characteristics
TypeLanding helicopter dock[12]
Displacement38,000 t (37,000 long tons) full load[7]
Length
  • 245 m (803 ft 10 in) LOA[9]
  • 213.4 m (700 ft 2 in) LPP[10]
Beam47 m (154 ft 2 in)
Depth7.2 m (23 ft 7 in)
Propulsion
  • CODOG scheme + electric engines
  • 2 × Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbines providing 76,000 kW (102,000 hp)[8]
  • 2 × MAN 20V32/44CR diesel engines, 24,000 kW (32,000 hp)[8]
  • 4 × diesel engines generators MAN 9L32/44CR, 20,960 kW (28,110 hp)
  • 2 × 2,250 kW (3,020 hp) electric engines
  • 2 × shaft
Speed
  • 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) on TAGs
  • 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) on diesel engines
  • 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph) on electric engines
Range7,000 nmi (13,000 km; 8,100 mi) to 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Endurance30 days
Complement
  • 460 crew
  • 604 marines component
  • (max 1043 + 21)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Leonardo CMS SADOC Mk4
  • 1 × Leonardo Kronos Dual Band, AESA 3D DBR 4FF, only with X-band radar (Kronos StarFire)[11]
  • 1 × Leonardo Kronos Power Shield, AESA LRR L-band radar
  • 1 × Leonardo conformal IFF
  • 1 × Leonardo Black Snake, anti torpedo towed array sonar
  • 1 × TACAN
  • 1 × PAR (Precision Approach Radar) Leonardo SPN-720
Electronic warfare
& decoys		integrated EW System by Elettronica Spa with RESM/RECM/CESM and ELINT/COMINT capabilities
Armament
Aircraft carriedusually 12 × AgustaWestland AW101 or combination with SH90A, AgustaWestland AW129D and F-35B
Notes
  • 50 m × 15 m (164 ft 1 in × 49 ft 3 in) dock, for 4 × 70 t LCU or 1 LCAC
  • 55 m × 18 m (180 ft 5 in × 59 ft 1 in) garage decks for vehicles (1,200 m (3,937 ft 0 in) for parking vehicles)
  • 21 m (68 ft 11 in) (25 m × 107 m (82 ft 0 in × 351 ft 1 in)) hangar (up to 2,600 m2 (28,000 sq ft)) for up to 14 AgustaWestland AW101 or combination with SH90A, AgustaWestland AW129D and F-35B (or 530 m (1,738 ft 10 in) for parking vehicles)
  • flight deck 230 m × 36 m (754 ft 7 in × 118 ft 1 in)
  • flight deck with up to 9 spots for AW101 or combination with SH90A helicopters, AgustaWestland AW129D
  • Role 2E NATO standard hospital (700 m2 (7,500 sq ft)) with 28 beds

Trieste is a multi-role amphibious unit of the Italian Navy, officially classified as a landing helicopter dock (amphibious assault helicopter carrier), it will be the largest vessel in the Italian fleet. It was ordered as part of the 2014–2015 naval program and was built at the Castellammare di Stabia shipyards of Fincantieri.

Project and construction

As part of the units planned under the 2014–2015 naval law, the new multi-role/multi-function amphibious ship has a full load displacement of approximately 38,000 tons and an overall length of about 245 meters (803 ft 10 in), making it the largest unit in the fleet. The innovative design is inspired by the style adopted by the British Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. In fact, it features two distinct islands, the first (at the bow) for navigation and the second (at the stern) for the management and control of flight operations. This configuration serves a triple purpose, providing a greater visual range, more space on the flight deck, and a smoother and more efficient management of various activities.[citation needed]

The flight deck has a length of 230 meters (754 ft 7 in) and a width of 36 meters (118 ft 1 in), with a total of nine spots for aircraft. It is equipped with two 15-by-15-meter (49 by 49 ft) aircraft elevators with a maximum capacity of 42 tons.[citation needed]

According to the provided data, the ship is equipped with a floodable well deck below the hangar, which allows the use of amphibious vehicles such as Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM), rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIB), Landing Craft Air Cushion hovercraft, L-CAC, and the most innovative rapid amphibious landing vehicles (L-CAT) used by NATO and European navies. Unlike the aircraft carrier Cavour, which has a single reconfigurable hangar not floodable for vehicle transport, this unit has, below the flight deck, two additional decks, one of which is a hangar with an area of 2,300 m2 (25,000 sq ft) and 530 linear meters for vehicle parking with removable bulkheads to reach 2,600 m2 (28,000 sq ft), connected to a lower deck of 2,200 m2 (24,000 sq ft), divided into a garage of 700 m2 (7,500 sq ft) with 253 linear meters for vehicle parking and a floodable 55 by 15 m (180 by 49 ft) well deck, sized for the entry of four LCM-1E or one LCAC.[citation needed]

Like Cavour and Giuseppe Garibaldi, Trieste also features a ski-jump on the flight deck to facilitate the takeoff of STOVL F-35B aircraft, as reported in the technical specifications, maintaining secondary air capability to be used in case of necessity when Cavour is not available.[citation needed]

The propulsion group has two shafts with variable-pitch five-bladed propellers and two balanced spade rudders, two retractable stabilizer fins, two forward thrusters, and one aft thruster, ensuring greater maneuverability in confined spaces compared to just rudders/propellers.[citation needed]

The first steel plate was cut on July 12, 2017, at the Fincantieri shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia, and a little over seven months later, on February 20, 2018, the keel was laid at the shipyard's slipway, marking the start of the ship's construction. The ship was launched and christened on May 25, 2019, in the presence of the President Sergio Mattarella, with his daughter serving as the ship's godmother. The first sea trial took place on August 12, 2021, off the coast of La Spezia. Three Fincantieri shipyards were involved: the hull was constructed in Castellammare di Stabia, the outfitting was carried out in Muggiano, and the hull maintenance was performed in Palermo.[citation needed]


Weaponry

The unit is equipped with state-of-the-art weapon systems.

Regarding the artillery compartment, it includes:

The missile compartment includes:

The sensor section boasts advanced technologies as well:

Air power

The ship features a flight deck measuring 230 x 36 meters, covering an area of approximately 7,400 m², with nine takeoff spots for heavy helicopters or F-35B fighter jets.

In full operational conditions, the ship can carry a total of 30-34 aircraft in various combinations of jets and helicopters. In fact, with an area of 2,600 m² (compared to the 2,500 m² of the Cavour), is designed to accommodate a maximum of 14 aircraft, also in various configurations. There are two 15 x 15-meter elevators at the stern each with a maximum load of 42 tons.

Flight deck operations are controlled from the aft island.

Amphibious capabilities

The ship's amphibious capabilities are highly advanced, and they serve as the primary weapon of the unit.

The second deck, below the hangar, with an area of 2,300 m², features a floodable well deck measuring 55m x 15m, designed to accommodate 4 LCMs, referred to as LC23, or 1 LCAC / LCAT.

The LCMs will be able to transport 1 Ariete tank, 5 Iveco LMV Lynx vehicles, or 1 Centauro, 1 Freccia, or 300 soldiers.

Hospital

The ship will also be equipped with a fully equipped hospital, including operating rooms, radiology and analysis laboratories, a dental clinic, and a ward for 28 seriously ill patients, covering a total area of 700 m². Additional beds will be accommodated in specially prepared container modules.

In May 2019, the ship was launched at the Castellammare di Stabia shipyards and transferred to La Spezia for final outfitting. The initial delivery was expected by 2022, but it was later postponed to the end of 2023. The construction phase involved over 300 workers, while the installation and completion phase is expected to engage 800 people.[13]

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Trieste (L 9890).
  1. ^ "Fincantieri: The Multipurpose Amphibious Unit "Trieste" Launched In Castellammare di Stabia" (Press release). Fincantieri. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  2. ^ [1][dead link]
  3. ^ Peruzzi, Luca (20 November 2023). "Italian MoD's Defence Planning Document 2023-2025: New Naval And Joint Programs". Naval News. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Castellammare di Stabia: Slipway Works Start On The Multipurpose Amphibious Unit (LHD)" (Press release). Fincantieri. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  5. ^ "New Landing Helicopter Dock LHD Trieste for Italian Navy conducts sea trials". navyrecognition.com. 15 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Il Progamma Navale per la Tutela della Capacita' Marittima della Difesa" (in Italian). Corte dei Conti. 23 December 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Iniziano le prove in mare per nave Trieste" (in Italian). Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  8. ^ a b RID 9/2017 p. 71
  9. ^ Di Feo, Gianluca (25 May 2019). "Trieste, la nave di pace che si trasforma in super-portaerei". Repubblica.it (in Italian). Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  10. ^ "The Defenders" (PDF). Fincantieri. 20 December 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Land & Naval Radars" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  12. ^ "Marina militare, la "nave umanitaria" si trasforma in portaerei. Ed esplodono i costi. Taciuti al Parlamento". Ilfattoquotidiano.it (in Italian). 14 April 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  13. ^ "Nave Trieste in arrivo. Per l'allestimento serviranno 800 operai" (PDF).

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