Italian aircraft carrier cleared by joint program office to operate F-35Bs By (0) U.S. Sailors, assigned to the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis, standby to bring the Italian Navy flagship, aircraft carrier ITS Cavour, which was certified last Friday as safely capable of landing and launching F-35B aircraft, into port at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia in February. File Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Curtis Burdick/U.S. Navy April 20 (UPI) -- The U.S. F-35 Joint Program Office has delivered a flight clearance recommendation to the Italian Navy for the safe operation of fifth-generation F-35B fighter aircraft, the Navy announced on Tuesday.