The Italian Navy has long maintained a proud and capable maritime tradition, and nowhere is that more visible today than aboard the ITS Trieste (L9890). Commissioned in 2023 and representing the most advanced surface vessel ever operated by the Marina Militare, the Trieste is a Landing Helicopter Dock — a class of amphibious assault ship designed to project both air and ground power. With a full-length flight deck capable of supporting STOVL aircraft such as the F-35B and a well deck for amphibious operations, the Trieste sits at the intersection of aircraft carrier and amphibious warfare vessel. It is, in short, one of the most operationally significant warships in modern European naval history. Thanks to developer ANSMedia, the ship is making its way into Microsoft Flight Simulator.
ANSMedia has been building a reputation on Flightsim.to for detailed military naval scenery, with their previous HMS Queen Elizabeth CATOBAR project demonstrating an ambition to bring fully functional carrier operations into the simulator. The ITS Trieste follows that same philosophy. The add-on is currently in an alpha stage and the model is built to accurate scale based on real-world specifications of the Trieste. The flight deck features a functioning hard surface with correct collision physics, meaning STOVL aircraft can take off and land on it as you would expect from a properly implemented carrier deck in MSFS.
One of the more notable features already present in this alpha release is the animated elevator system. The Trieste, like her real-world counterpart, features aircraft lifts capable of transporting aircraft between the hangar deck and the flight deck.
The ship is currently placed at three locations across Italy, each offering a different operational setting. IT01 positions the vessel in the Bay of Trieste in the northern Adriatic, the body of water that lends the ship its name. IT02 places her in the Bay of Taranto in southern Italy, home to the Marina Militare's major naval base. IT03 takes her to a military polygon off the coast of Sardinia, offering a more remote and tactically interesting operating environment. The developer notes that additional locations are planned.
As an openly declared work in progress, the ITS Trieste has several major features still under active development. Night lighting and illumination for deck operations have not yet been implemented. The stern well deck is currently present only as a placeholder and is being developed toward full functionality. An interior hangar space is also in progress, which would allow for pre-flight scenarios set inside the ship.
The add-on is compatible with both Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Carrier functions require ANSMedia's free Toolbar App, which is available separately on Flightsim.to. Owners of the Queen Elizabeth CATOBAR Conversion are eligible for reduced pricing on the Trieste. You can find the ITS Trieste (L9890) for Microsoft Flight Simulator 👉 now on the Flightsim.to Store.