Italian Navy Aviation

Last updated
Italian Navy Aviation
Aviazione Navale
Coat of arms of Marina Militare.svg
Active1913-1937
1956-Present
Country Italy
Branch Italian Navy
Type Naval aviation
Size2,000 personnel (2015) [1]
Part of Commander in Chief Naval Fleet
Commanders
Current
commander
Rear Admiral Placido Torresi
Insignia
Roundel Roundel of Italy - Low Visibility - Type 1.svg Roundel of Italy - Naval Aviation.svg
EH-101-410 Merlin Agusta-Westland EH-101-410 Merlin, Italy - Navy JP7306257.jpg
EH-101-410 Merlin
A Marina Militare AV-8B Harrier II aboard Cavour McDonnell Douglas AV-8B+ Harrier II, Italy - Navy JP6593672.jpg
A Marina Militare AV-8B Harrier II aboard Cavour

The Italian Navy Aviation (Italian : Aviazione Navale) is the naval air component of the Italian Navy composed of around 2000 men and women and 69 aircraft and helicopters.

Contents

History

It is more commonly known as Naval Aviation as it received various official designations throughout its service and its origins date back to 1913, when it was created as the air branch of the Navy. [2] The service was then disbanded and integrated into the Italian Air Force, upon the creation of this new branch in 1937, when a law gave control of all national fixed-wing air assets to the Italian Air Force.

Having been reactivated in 1956 to operate the Navy's new shipborne helicopters entering service with the Italian frigates. [3] The ban on fixed-wing aircraft was lifted in 1989, and the Italian Navy acquired Harrier II fighters to fly from the aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi.

In 2009, the Giuseppe Garibaldi was replaced as the flagship of the Italian navy by the new and larger aircraft carrier Cavour.

Organisation

The units of the Italian Naval Aviation are based at three civil airports. A small detachment is based at the Italian Air Force's the Pratica di Mare Air Base. [4] [5]

Aircraft

The Italian Navy's first F-35B Lightning en route to NAS Patuxent River Il primo F-35B della Marina Militare in volo.jpg
The Italian Navy's first F-35B Lightning en route to NAS Patuxent River
AircraftOriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes
Combat Aircraft
AV-8B Harrier II United States ground attack AV-8B+ 14being replaced by F-35B
F-35 Lightning II United States Multirole F-35B 215 ordered in total
Liaison
Piaggio P.180 Italy LiaisonP.180 Maritime3
Helicopter
Agusta-Bell 212 Italy ASuW/ASW
Transport
SH-212A
MH-212B
33being replaced by NH90
NH90 EU ASuW/ASW
Transport
SH-90A
MH-90A
3846 ordered in total
10 ordered in total
AW101 Italy ASuW/ASW
Transport
HEW
SH-101A
MH-101A
EH-101A
8
10
4 [8]
Unmanned aerial vehicles
Camcopter S-100 Austria surveillance2 [9] [10]
Boeing Insitu ScanEagle United Statessurveillance10 [11]

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References

  1. "The Present Aviation - Marina Militare". Marina.difesa.it. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
  2. "The Naval Aviation - History - Marina Militare". Marina.difesa.it. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
  3. "Post War Naval Aviation - Marina Militare". Marina.difesa.it. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
  4. "The Present Aviation". Marina Militare. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  5. "Comando delle Forze Aeree". Marina Militare. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  6. "Primo Gruppo Elicotteri della Marina Militare". Italian Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  7. "Terzo Gruppo Elicotteri della Marina Militare". Italian Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  8. "EH - 101". Italian Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  9. "The Aviationist » The Italian Navy is testing a tiny Camcopter drone from its amphibious warfare ship". The Aviationist. 2014-05-31. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  10. "Messaggio Forum". Regiamarinaitaliana.forumgratis.org. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  11. "Insitu: contract with the Italian Navy for ScanEagle UAS aircraft delivery". Avionews.it. Retrieved 28 March 2014.