ITS Cavour: Italian aircraft carrier with advanced Aster 15 missile system docks in Jakarta.

According to information published by Indomiliter on September 17, 2024, the Italian Navy's flagship, the aircraft carrier ITS Cavour, has made a visit to Jakarta, docking at Tanjung Priok Port.
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Italian Navy's aircraft carrier Cavour. (Picture source: Dvids)

Amid its structure and the presence of stealth F-35B Lightning II fighter jets parked on the main deck, one of the carrier's standout features is its air defense system, which rivals that of a modern frigate.

Despite often being escorted by frigates during deployments, the 30,000-ton ITS Cavour is equipped with its own medium-range air defense capability, featuring the Aster 15 missile system, which significantly enhances its defensive posture. Unlike basic short-range systems like MANPADS, the Aster 15 offers a comprehensive medium-range solution, providing protection against a wide range of aerial threats.

The ITS Cavour is outfitted with 32 Aster 15 missile launchers produced by MBDA Missile Systems. These are distributed across 16 launchers on the right side of the hull and another 16 toward the rear left side of the deck. The Aster 15 has an operational range of 30 to 35 kilometers and can intercept targets at altitudes of up to 25 kilometers, reaching speeds of Mach 3, or roughly 3,700 km/h. Its vertical launch system (VLS) allows for rapid deployment, offering an optimal response to a variety of aerial threats.

One of the advantages of ITS Cavour, compared to conventional warships like frigates or corvettes, is its ability to reload its VLS system using a crane on board. This is crucial given the Aster 15 missile’s size—each weighing 310 kilograms, with a length of 4.2 meters and a diameter of 180 millimeters—making manual reloading, as done with smaller systems like the MANPADS, impractical.

Complementing its missile system, ITS Cavour is also armed with two OTO Melara 76/62 mm Strales guns and three OTO Melara 25/80 guns fitted with Oerlikon KBA 25 mm cannons for additional close-in defense. ITS Cavour is not the only carrier equipped with the Aster 15 missile system; France’s Charles de Gaulle carrier also uses this advanced air defense technology.