Italian Navy Aviation

Italian Navy Aviation
Aviazione Navale
Country Italy
Branch Italian Navy
Type Naval aviation
Size 2,000 personnel (2015)[1]
Part of Commander in Chief Naval Fleet
Commanders
Current
commander		 Rear Admiral Giorgio Gomma
EH-101-410 Merlin
Front view of two-seat grey jet fighter on aircraft carrier deck. A directive personnel is close-by.
A Marina Militare TAV-8B Harrier II aboard Giuseppe Garibaldi

The Italian Navy Aviation (Aviazione Navale) is the naval air component of the Italian Navy. Composed of around 2000 men and women and 69 aircraft and helicopters, the naval aviation represents a top niche and an enabler for the air-naval instrument.

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 has 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 carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi.

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

Structure and Organisation

Naval air stations

Squadrons

Aircraft

Aircraft Origin Role Version Number Notes
Fixed-wing aircraft
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II USA Fighter aircraft F-35B 0[4] Order of 15 F-35B.[4]
Boeing AV-8B Harrier II USA Strike aircraft AV-8B
TAV-8B 		14[4]
2[4]		 Operated from the aircraft carrier Cavour.
Piaggio P.180 Avanti Italy Utility aircraft P.180 3[4]
Helicopters
Agusta-Bell 212 Italy Maritime helicopter (ASW/ASuW)
Transport helicopter		 AB-212ASW
AB-212NLA		 16[4]
6[4]		 Being replaced by NH90, 26 already withdrawn
AgustaWestland EH101 Italy Maritime helicopter (ASW/ASuW)
Transport helicopter
Airborne early warning and control		 110-ASW
410-ASH/413-TTH
112-AEW		 10[4]
8[4]
4[4]
NHIndustries NH90 Italy Maritime helicopter (ASW/ASuW)
Transport helicopter		 NH90 NFH
NH90 TTH 		17[4]
0[4][5]		 39 more on order.[4]
UAVs
Camcopter S-100 Austria UAV S-100 2 Delivered in 2014[6][7]
Boeing Insitu ScanEagle USA UAV 10 Delivered in 2013 [8]

Note

  1. ↑ http://www.marina.difesa.it/EN/thefleet/airfleet/Pagine/aviazionenavaleoggi.aspx
  2. ↑ http://www.marina.difesa.it/EN/thefleet/airfleet/Pagine/origins.aspx
  3. ↑ http://www.marina.difesa.it/EN/thefleet/airfleet/Pagine/dopogm.aspx
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 World Air Force 2014 - Flight International, Flightglobal.com, Accessed 23 November 2014
  5. ↑ "NHI Delivers the 250th NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter to the Italian Army". defense-aerospace.com. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  6. ↑ "The Aviationist » The Italian Navy is testing a tiny Camcopter drone from its amphibious warfare ship". The Aviationist. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  7. ↑ "Messaggio Forum". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "Insitu: contract with the Italian Navy for ScanEagle UAS aircraft delivery". Retrieved 28 March 2014.
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