Italian Navy Aviation



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

Naval air stations
The units of the Italian Naval Aviation are homebased at three combined military / civil airfields, at which the Naval Aviation Command of the Marina Militare Italiana has operational control over the military parts, plus a small naval aviation flight based at the Pratica di Mare Air Base of the Aeronautica Militare Italiana.
 * MARISTAER Grottaglie
 * Stazione Aerei Marina Grottaglie (Grottaglie Aircraft Naval Station) - Taranto - Grottaglie Naval Air Station, shared with the Aeroporto "Marcello Arlotta" di Taranto - Grottaglie, the civil regional airport of Taranto, Apulia
 * MARISTAELI Catania
 * Stazione Elicotteri Marina Catania (Catania Helicopter Naval Station) - Catania - Fontanarossa Naval Air Station, shared with the Aeroporto internazionale "Vincenzo Bellini" di Catania - Fontanarossa, the civil international airport of Catania, Sicily
 * MARISTAELI Luni
 * Stazione Elicotteri Marina Luni (Luni Helicopter Naval Station) - Sarzana - Luni Naval Air Station, shared with the Aeroporto "Bartolomeo Arrigoni" di Sarzana - Luni, the civil regional airport of La Spezia, Liguria

Squadrons

 * Gruppo aerei imbarcati (Embarked Aircraft Group, based at Taranto-Grottaglie NAS and aircraft carrier Cavour) - AV/ TAV-8B+ Harrier II
 * 1º Gruppo elicotteri (1st Helicopters Group, based at Sarzana-Luni NAS) - EH101 Merlin
 * 2º Gruppo elicotteri (2nd Helicopters Group, based at Catania-Fontanarossa NAS) - AB 212 ASW
 * 3º Gruppo elicotteri (3rd Helicopters Group, based at Catania-Fontanarossa NAS) - EH101 Merlin
 * 4º Gruppo elicotteri (4th Helicopters Group, based at Taranto-Grottaglie NAS) - SH-90A, AB212ASW, Schiebel Campcopter S-100 (UAV)
 * 5º Gruppo elicotteri (5th Helicopters Group, based at Sarzana-Luni NAS) - MH/ SH-90A
 * Reparto Eliassalto (Heliborne Assault Unit, based at Taranto - Grottaglie NAS) - AB 212 ASW
 * Sezione Aerea (Aerial Section, HQ liaison unit, based at Pratica di Mare Air Base) - Piaggio P.180 Avanti
 * Centro Sperimentale Aeromarittimo (Air Maritime Experimental Center, based at Sarzana-Luni NAS) - EH101 Merlin, SH-90A
 * 88st Gruppo Antisubmarine Warfare (based at Sigonella NAS) with mixed crews Air Force and Navy.