Italy is exploring a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to boost global reach and advanced weapons capability, but high costs, logistical limits, and reliance on allies may hinder the plan.

Only two nations operate nuclear-powered aircraft carriers: the United States and France. However, there has been speculation that China has set its sights on a nuclear-powered flattop as well, and there are good reasons to believe its Type 004 carrier could be significantly larger, rivaling even the US Navy’s Nimitz and Gerald R. Ford-class supercarriers.

Yet, so far, nothing has materialized.

Another NATO member, Italy, has made its nuclear-powered carrier ambitions clear. Just last year, Italy conducted an Indo-Pacific deployment with its flagship, the ITS Cavour. It marked the first time that an Italian flattop operated in the region, and if Rome has its way, it won’t be the last.

The top Italian naval official unveiled an ambitious plan that could see the country operate such a warship within just over a dozen years. It would be significantly larger than the ITS Cavour, and as noted, nuclear-powered, which would give it unlimited range and endurance, the very features that China may seek for its future carriers.

“The Navy has a budgetary plan through 2040. They are considering a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, but also drones of all kinds and systems to confront the threat of cyberwarfare. In any case, our sixty ships will have ample space to carry drones. The Trieste, our most recent unit, already carries fighters and drones of various sizes,” explained Admiral Enrico Credendino, chief of staff of the Italian Navy.

His comments follow an Italian Ministry of Defense study released two years ago that explored the feasibility of such a warship. It is part of a program known as “Minerva,” an acronym for Marinazzazione di Impianti Nucleari per l’Energia a bordo di Vascelli Armati (Marination of Nuclear Power Plants on Board Armed Vessels). The name of the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, and, notably, strategic warfare, also appears in the study. Such a vessel would certainly increase Rome’s strategic capabilities.

The program calls for the feasibility study, while the second phase focuses on concept design. The next stage would be to evaluate the capabilities offered by a conventionally powered carrier versus those of a nuclear-powered carrier.

Does Italy Have the Money to Make a Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier?

Thus, the “nuclear option” could be scuttled if the capabilities aren’t worth the cost. The UK’s Royal Navy had opted against a nuclear-powered carrier while developing its Queen Elizabeth-class, citing the high costs and the benefits being less necessary for a surface vessel. Rome may conclude that the costs and extra expertise required to build and maintain the warships don’t outweigh the benefits.

Although it could allow an Italian flagship to travel to distant parts of the globe without making port calls, Italy doesn’t have a fleet of more capable escorts or supply ships. A nuclear-powered carrier may also have unlimited endurance, but it still requires aviation fuel and supplies, notably food for the crew. 

Thus, Italy would have to count on allies, just as it did in last year’s Indo-Pacific deployment.

However, as Army Recognition explained, there are some notable benefits, including that “The high electrical output of nuclear propulsion also supports the integration of advanced combat systems, such as electromagnetic aircraft launch systems, directed-energy weapons, and radar with high power demands.”

Why Does Italy Want to Go Nuclear?

Italy has likely paid attention to the struggles the US Navy had in countering the Houthi drone and missile strikes, where it is simply too costly to air defense missiles, costing millions of dollars, to shoot down drones or anti-ship missiles that are far less expensive. Nuclear energy could enable the use of lasers and other directed-energy weapons.

“Removing the need for large onboard fuel reserves for propulsion allows for additional space for aviation fuel, munitions, sensors, and aircraft maintenance infrastructure. This could support a higher sortie rate and longer on-station durations,” Army Recognition added. It further noted that the propulsion allows for sustained high-speed travel, ensuring the carrier can reach its destination faster than a conventionally powered vessel.

Of course, as noted, navies can’t send out a carrier unprotected. That is one of the Achilles’ Heels of carriers; they require a strike group that doesn’t have the speed, range, or other capabilities that come with nuclear power. One possibility is that any nuclear-powered Italian carrier would be part of a joint NATO strike group, including British or Swedish submarines, Dutch destroyers, and other partners, such as Spain and Germany.

Italy already operates the ITS Cavour and commissioned the amphibious assault ship ITS Trieste last year. Both can operate with the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II, a fifth-generation stealth fighter with a short take-off and vertical landing. It could be the next largest NATO carrier operator after the US Navy.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-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: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Massimo Todaro.

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