Italian Navy to Deploy Bayraktar TB3 Drones on Cavour Carrier

Italy's acquisition of Bayraktar TB3 UCAVs marks a strategic leap in carrier-based unmanned warfare. It enhances Mediterranean naval power projection amid rising regional maritime tensions.

The Italian Navy has announced plans to operate the Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) from its aircraft carrier Cavour. This marks the first time Italy intends to base drone operations from a carrier, expanding naval aviation capabilities significantly. Chief of the Italian Navy, Vice Admiral Berutti Bergotto, revealed this initiative during his first parliamentary hearing since assuming command on November 6, 2025.

Italy’s naval forces have traditionally relied on manned aircraft for carrier operations. The TB3’s deployment represents a modernization effort to integrate advanced unmanned systems capable of long-endurance missions and precision strikes. The Bayraktar TB3, developed by Turkey, is designed specifically for carrier operations, featuring foldable wings and carrier touchdown gear.

Strategically, this move positions the Italian Navy to better project power across the Mediterranean Sea, where rival nations and NATO allies vigilantly monitor maritime security dynamics. The TB3 equipped Cavour carrier will provide Italy with enhanced ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) and strike options without exposing pilots to frontline risks.

Technically, the TB3 variant can carry a variety of payloads including guided missiles and precision bombs. It operates on catapult and arrestor gear systems compatible with Cavour, a light aircraft carrier of approximately 27,000 tons displacement. This integration represents a leap forward in Italian naval aviation, which previously lacked drone carrier compatibility.

Looking ahead, Italy’s TB3 deployment likely signals broader European interest in unmanned carrier aviation, challenging traditional airpower models. The Cavour’s new role will complicate Mediterranean power calculations, potentially intensifying surveillance and deterrence postures amid persistent regional disputes and Russian naval activity.