Italian aircraft carrier Cavour [File photo]

Aircraft carrier Cavour

Cavour (550) ("Portaerei Cavour" in Italian) is an Italian aircraft carrier (CVH) of the Marina Militare, the Italian Navy. She is named after the Italian statesman and politician Camillo Benso, conte di Cavour.

Cavour was laid down by Fincantieri on 17 July 2001, and she was launched from the Riva Trigoso shipyard in Sestri Levante, on 20 July 2004. Sea trials began in December 2006, and she was officially commissioned March 27, 2008. Full Operational Capability (FOC) was reached June 10, 2009. The ship was never moved to Taranto, as usually happens for the maintenance of the Italian Navy ships, because the dock is not deep enough to host it. It stays in Muggiano harbour, close to La Spezia. Cavour is the new flagship of the Marina Militare, the Italian Navy.

On 2010 January 19, Cavour was dispatched to Haiti as part of Operation White Crane, Italy's operation for 2010 Haiti earthquake relief.

Italian aircraft carrier Cavour [File photo]