Wikipedia

Italian Naval Aviation

(Redirected from Italian Navy Aviation)

The Italian Naval 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.

Italian Naval Aviation
Aviazione Navale
Naval Ensign of Italy
Active1913-1937
1956-Present
CountryItaly
BranchItalian Navy
TypeNaval aviation
Size2,000 personnel (2015)[1]
Part ofCommander in Chief Naval Fleet
Commanders
Current
commander		Rear Admiral Giancarlo Ciappina
Insignia
Roundel
EH-101-410 Merlin
A Marina Militare AV-8B Harrier II aboard Cavour

History

edit

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

edit

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]

  • Air Forces Command (Comando delle Forze Aeree - COMFORAER), in Rome
    • Aerial Section (Sezione Aerea - SEZAER), at Pratica di Mare Air Base with 3x P.180 Maritime liaison planes
    • Naval Aircraft Station (Stazione Aeromobili della Marina Militare - MARISTAER), at Taranto-Grottaglie Airport
      • Carrier Air Group (Gruppo Aerei Imbarcati - GRUPAER)
        • Operations Unit (Reparto Operazioni) with AV-8B+ Harrier II fighters (being replaced by F-35B Lightning II)
        • Operational Support Unit (Reparto Supporto Operativo)
        • Operational Informations Unit (Reparto Informazioni Operative)
      • 4th Helicopter Group (Quarto Gruppo Elicotteri - GRUPELICOT QUATTRO)
        • Operations Unit (Reparto Operazioni) with SH-90A ASuW/ASW helicopters and Camcopter S-100 unmanned aerial vehicles
        • Training Unit (Reparto Addestramento) with SH-90A ASuW/ASW helicopters
        • Operational Support Unit (Reparto Supporto Operativo)
        • Operational Informations Unit (Reparto Informazioni Operative)
    • Naval Helicopter Station Luni (Stazione Elicotteri della Marina Militare Luni - MARISTAELI Luni), at Sarzana-Luni Airport
      • 1st Helicopter Group (Primo Gruppo Elicotteri - GRUPELICOT UNO)[6]
        • Helicopter Assault Unit (Reparto Eliassalto) with MH-101A transport helicopters supporting COMSUBIN
        • ASuW/ASW/EW Unit (Reparto AWW/ASW/EW) with EH-101A HEW helicopters
        • Operational Support Unit (Reparto Supporto Operativo)
        • Operational Informations Unit (Reparto Informazioni Operative)
      • 5th Helicopter Group (Quinto Gruppo Elicotteri - GRUPELICOT CINQUE)
        • Helicopter Assault Unit (Reparto Eliassalto) with MH-90A tactical transport helicopters supporting COMSUBIN
        • ASuW/ASW Unit (Reparto AWW/ASW) with SH-90A ASuW/ASW helicopters
        • Operational Support Unit (Reparto Supporto Operativo)
        • Operational Informations Unit (Reparto Informazioni Operative)
    • Naval Helicopter Station Catania (Stazione Elicotteri della Marina Militare Catania - MARISTAELI Catania), at Catania–Fontanarossa Airport
      • 2nd Helicopter Group (Secondo Gruppo Elicotteri - GRUPELICOT DUE)
        • Operations Unit (Reparto Operazioni) with SH-90A ASuW/ASW helicopters
        • Operational Support Unit (Reparto Supporto Operativo)
        • Operational Informations Unit (Reparto Informazioni Operative)
      • 3rd Helicopter Group (Terzo Gruppo Elicotteri - GRUPELICOT TRE)[7]
        • Operations Unit (Reparto Operazioni) with SH-101A ASuW/ASW helicopters
        • Training Unit (Reparto Addestramento) with SH-101A ASuW/ASW helicopters
        • Operational Support Unit (Reparto Supporto Operativo)
        • Operational Informations Unit (Reparto Informazioni Operative)

Aircraft

edit

Current inventory

edit
Picture Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat aircraft
F-35 Lightning II USA Multirole stealth fighter, STOVL F-35B 10

[8]

 [9]

F-35B acquisition:

AV-8B Harrier II UK
USA		 V/STOL AV-8B+ 11

[8]

 [12]

Being replaced by the F-35B.

Transport
P-180 Italy Transport P-180 Maritme 3

[8]

 [13][14]
Helicopters
AW101 Italy
UK		 SAR SH-101A 10

[8]

 [15][16]
VERTREP MH-101A 8

[8]

 [17]
ASW / ASuW EH-101A 4 [18]
NH90 European Union ASW / ASuW SH-90A (NFH) 45

[8]

 [19][20]

Delivered between 2011 and October 2023.[21]

1 lost in July 2023.[8]

Transport MH-90A (TTH) 10

[8]

AB-212 USA
Italy		 ASW SH-212A 22

[8]

 [22]

Licensed built by Agusta.

Utility MH-212B
Trainer aircraft
AV-8B Harrier II UK
USA		 Conversion trainer TAV-8B 1

[8]
UAV
Camcopter S-100 Austria ISR, helicopter UAV 2

[23][24]
ScanEagle USA ISR, fixed-wing UAV 10

[25]

References

edit
  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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Page 23 - World Air Forces 2026". Archived from the original on 10 December 2025.
  9. ↑ "F-35B - Marina Militare". www.marina.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  10. ↑ Conversi, Gianluca (2021-05-18). "Primo volo per il 14° F-35A destinato all'Aeronautica Militare (32-15)". Aviation Report (in Italian). Retrieved 2026-05-01.
  11. ↑ "RID Rivista Italiana Difesa - Altri 25 F-35 per l'Italia". www.rid.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2026-05-01.
  12. ↑ "AV-8B - Marina Militare". www.marina.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  13. ↑ "P 180 Maritime - Marina Militare". www.marina.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  14. ↑ "P 180 Maritime - Marina Militare". www.marina.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  15. ↑ "SH-101A - Marina Militare". www.marina.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  16. ↑ "EH-101 ASH - Marina Militare". www.marina.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  17. ↑ "MH-101A - Marina Militare". www.marina.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  18. ↑ "EH101 ASW/ASUW - Marina Militare". www.marina.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  19. ↑ "SH90 NFH - Marina Militare". www.marina.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  20. ↑ "SH90 TTH - Marina Militare". www.marina.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  21. ↑ "Completate le consegne di elicotteri NH90 della Marina Militare Italiana e ultimato il centro di simulazione alla missione presso la base di Maristaeli Luni". www.leonardo.com (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  22. ↑ "AB 212 ASW - Marina Militare". www.marina.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  23. ↑ "The Aviationist » The Italian Navy is testing a tiny Camcopter drone from its amphibious warfare ship". The Aviationist. 31 May 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  24. ↑ "Messaggio Forum". Regiamarinaitaliana.forumgratis.org. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  25. ↑ "Insitu: contract with the Italian Navy for ScanEagle UAS aircraft delivery". Avionews.it. Retrieved 28 March 2014.

Bibliography

edit
  • Stefano Reduzzi (2013). Cent'anni di aviazione navale. Italian Naval Aviation: The first 100 years. 1913-2013. Aviation Collectables Company. ISBN 978-8890523182.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Italian_Naval_Aviation&oldid=1351901174"