The date of the Trieste’s flag ceremony was carefully chosen—taking place on the 71st anniversary of the city of Trieste’s return to Italy on October 26, 1954.
It has been an eventful couple of months for the Marina Militare’s (Italian Navy’s) ITS Trieste (L 9890), the largest warship in the NATO nation’s fleet. In September, the Italian daredevil driver Fabio Barone used the ship’s deck as a platform to set a new speed record with his Ferrari SF90, a mid-engine plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
Just a month later, the miniature aircraft carrier received its “battle flag.”
The Trieste Is Italy’s Largest Naval Vessel Since 1945
ITS Trieste is now the largest ship delivered to the Italian Navy since the end of World War II, and it was officially handed over last December. The flattop’s flight deck measures 803 feet, 10 inches in length (245 meters); it is outfitted with a ski jump ramp, limiting the size of its aircraft contingent but making it relatively easy to use.
The Trieste is similar in design to the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, featuring two island superstructures. The fore island is used for ship operations, while the aft island is used for flight operations, which are directed from there. Although not formally considered an aircraft carrier—designated instead as a “landing helicopter dock” (LHD)—the vessel will be equipped to operate with the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II, the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, in the years to come. However, that is a secondary function, as the Italian Navy’s flagship, ITS Cavour (550), will serve as the primary aircraft carrier for seaborne fixed-wing fighter operations.
ITS Trieste will instead operate as the flagship of the Amphibious Task Group, and is capable of deploying a fully equipped battalion of up to 600 troops for amphibious landings from its floodable well deck and helicopters from its flight deck. The warship can operate with a variety of NATO landing craft and boats, and features a garage deck capable of holding both wheeled and tracked vehicles, including the Italian military’s Ariete main battle tank (MBT). Additionally, it can provide logistics support, serve as a command headquarters, and even function as a hospital ship.
In August, ITS Trieste took part in the joint Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the Indian Navy’s INS Tamal in the Mediterranean.
The Trieste Is Now Officially Ready For Battle
After what had already been an interesting year for the carrier and her crew, last week, ITS Trieste received her “Bandiera di Guerra” (battle flag) at a ceremony in her namesake city. The significance of this moment can’t be overstated, especially for NATO member Italy.
As David Cenciotti, writing for TheAviationist, explained, “Trieste is recognized not just as a vessel, but as a sovereign extension of Italy at sea, ready to represent the country in national and international operations.”
Moreover, the date of the ceremony was carefully chosen, taking place on the 71st anniversary of the city of Trieste’s return to Italy on October 26, 1954.
Trieste, located on the Adriatic Coast, was annexed by the Kingdom of Italy after the First World War but was occupied by Yugoslavian partisans in the final months of World War II and then partially controlled by Allied forces. In 1947, the Free Territory of Trieste was established as a buffer state, but in 1954, it was divided into two territories between Italy and Yugoslavia.
Present at the ceremony was the Mayor of Trieste, Roberto Dipizza, who noted its significance: “In 25 years as mayor, I have experienced many moments of great emotion, but the arrival of Trieste, flying the Italian flag and carrying the city’s name around the world, has been one of the most moving.”
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock / 24K-Production.
