First F-35 training hub outside U.S. to open in Sicily

ROME–Italy will host the first F-35 Lightning II pilot training school outside of the United States. The move comes as NATO seeks to expand its operational capacity amid increased defence spending throughout Western Europe, the Italian defence ministry said.

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto first hinted at the project in March and since confirmed that the Italian Air Force will collaborate with the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) to establish the training facility at Trapani-Birgi Air Base in Sicily. A joint military–civilian airport near the city of Trapani, this location will act as the third Main Operating Base (MOB) for the fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets, according to Il Fatto Quotidiano. Trapani-Birgi will join existing F-35 bases at Amendola and Ghedi, which could be used to train pilots from other F-35 partner nations.

According to The European Defence Review, Italian defence sources say they aim to establish an ‘initial training capacity’ for December 2028, with an adjacent training centre scheduled for completion by July 2029, including an ‘international training flying squadron’. This initiative also marks a significant moment in Italo-American defence cooperation, as NATO and EU member states seek to expand F-35 training capacity to meet growing demand.

A preliminary National Armaments Directorate report released in December outlined the American response to accelerating global interest in the F-35 program. The report indicated that contractors would introduce a ‘European Pilot Training Centre (PTC)’ for participating nations, with significant private-sector investment and oversight from Lockheed Martin. The US defence contractor is expected to lead the construction of the 130 million dollar multinational training centre, which will include two full mission simulators and support both an Italian F-35 squadron and a unit dedicated to international students. 

Italian defence firm Leonardo is set to collaborate with Lockheed Martin on construction of the training school, further embedding private industry within the programme. This partnership builds on the success of their joint Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade hub at Cameri Air Base, which provides specialised F-35 maintenance services for European operators. Defence officials say the projects strengthen Italy’s role as a regional logistics and training centre for military aircraft.

Developers describe the F-35 as a ‘joint strike fighter’, distinguished by its advanced stealth, sensor fusion and data-sharing capabilities that allow it to function as a battlefield ‘data sponge’. The aircraft is intended to replace aging Cold War era platforms such as the Tornado, as well as legacy fleets of F-16s still in service across Europe. After decades of under-investment in the defence sector and an over-reliance upon US defence support,  13 European nations have now ordered the F-35, while Norway and the Netherlands have reportedly completed their full transition to the aircraft as their primary fighter. Conservative estimates suggest that more than 600 F-35s could be stationed in Europe by the mid-2030s.

The Defence Ministry has said the initiative is expected to attract private investment and strengthen Italy’s role within NATO training infrastructure. Critics, however, have raised concerns that the growing role of private contractors and US-led defence programmes could undermine Italian strategic autonomy and place additional strain on public finances, with taxpayers expected to cover a reported cost of 112.6 million euros. 

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