Photo By Shaylee Carmona | Representatives from the Italian Ministry of Defense, Lockheed Martin and Leonardo...... read more read more
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CAMERI, Italy — The Italian Ministry of Defence and F‑35 industry partners, Lockheed Martin and Leonardo, hosted a senior-level visit at the Cameri Trivalent Industrial Hub in Italy on March 31, reaffirming the enterprise’s commitment to expanding sustainment capabilities in Europe and strengthening long‑standing partnerships across the program.
The visit highlighted current operations and long-term planning to support growing demand from international partners. Senior-level representatives emphasized Italy’s expanding role within the global F‑35 enterprise as more European nations increase their production and sustainment requirements.
Located in northern Italy, the Cameri Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) and Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade (MRO&U) is the only facility in Europe that conducts final assembly and check-out, full-wing production, and maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrades for the F‑35. It is also the only F-35 production facility outside the United States that assembles the F-35B (STOVL) variant. The facility continues to make major contributions to production, sustainment and operational readiness throughout Europe and beyond.
Discussion topics included production performance, sustainment capacity and ways to increase Cameri’s output to meet rising demand. Leaders also discussed the facility’s ability to scale operations efficiently while maintaining the program’s highest standards for quality and reliability.
Col. Massimo Valente, Italian national deputy to the F‑35 Joint Program Office, said the visit underscored Cameri’s strategic importance within the broader enterprise.
“This engagement represents a significant moment for the F‑35 enterprise as well as the strong and enduring partnership among the Italian Ministry of Defence, Leonardo and the F‑35 Joint Program Office,” Valente said. “It demonstrates the continued commitment of partner nations to the program’s success.”
The visit reaffirmed close cooperation among international partners, the Italian Ministry of Defence and industry partners at Lockheed Martin and Leonardo. All F‑35 partners recognized the importance of continued coordination to ensure the Cameri facility remains fully leveraged as a strategic capability supporting both current and future partner requirements.
The engagement concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening cooperation, enhancing industrial performance and supporting the long-term success of the F‑35 across Europe. The F‑35 JPO will continue working with the Italian Ministry of Defence and industry partners to advance production, expand sustainment capacity and support the growing European fleet.
| Date Taken: | 05.06.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.21.2026 10:22 |
| Story ID: | 565635 |
| Location: | ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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