Cameri Air Base

Cameri Air Base is a military airfield in Piedmont, Italy, classified as a Main Operating Base (MOB) of the first group. Construction began in 1909 on an area of approximately 400,000 square meters, initiated by engineer Clovis Thouvenot. The inaugural flight was made by Alessandro Cagno in May 1910, and the site functioned as the second pilot training school established in Italy. During World War I, the school issued over one thousand military pilot licenses. In 1967, the 53rd Stormo Caccia was reconstituted at the base, where it operated Lockheed F-104G Starfighter, Panavia Tornado ADV, and Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft until its disbandment in July 1999.

The base is restricted to military activities and hosts the Airport Command and the 1st Aircraft Maintenance Unit (1° Reparto Manutenzione Velivoli). It houses the Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. This 101-acre site is the production facility for the fighter outside the United States. In 2014, the US Department of Defense designated the site as the F-35 Heavy Airframe Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade (MRO&U) facility for the European region. The MRO&U facility reached full operating capability in June 2022.

Infrastructure includes assembly lines for F-35A conventional takeoff and F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variants for the Italian Air Force and Italian Navy. The facility also manufactures F-35 wings for the global fleet.