2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio"

The 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio" (2° Reggimento Aviazione dell'Esercito "Sirio") is an active unit of the Italian Army based at Lamezia Terme Airport in Calabria. The regiment is part of the Italian army's army aviation and operationally assigned to the Army Aviation Brigade.

Formation
On 1 October 1996 the 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio" and the 12th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Gru" were raised at Lamezia Terme Airport and placed under command of the Army Aviation Inspectorate. The regiment received the 20th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Andromeda" based at Pontecagnano Airport on the same day. At its formation the regiment was structured as follows:


 * CoA mil ITA rgt aves 2.png 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio", at Lamezia Terme Airport
 * 12th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Gru", at Lamezia Terme Airport
 * Command and Services Squadron
 * 121st Multirole Helicopters Squadron (AB 205 helicopters)
 * 122nd Multirole Helicopters Squadron (AB 205 helicopters)
 * 20th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Andromeda", at Pontecagnano Airport
 * Command and Services Squadron
 * 420th Reconnaissance Helicopters Squadron (AB 206 helicopters)
 * 520th Multirole Helicopters Squadron (AB 205 helicopters)

Naming
Since the 1975 Army reform Italian army aviation units are named for celestial objects: regiments are numbered with a single digit and named for stars in the 88 modern constellationss. Accordingly an army aviation regiment's coat of arms highlights the name-giving star within its constellation. Squadron groups were numbered with two digits and named for constellations, or planets of the Solar System. The 2nd Army Aviation Regiment was named for Sirius (Sirio) the brightest star in the Canis Major constellation.

In fall 1996 the President of the Italian Republic Oscar Luigi Scalfaro granted the regiment a newly created war flag, which today is decorated with one Silver Medal of Army Valour awarded to the then autonomous 20th Light Airplanes and Helicopters Squadrons Group "Andromeda" for its service after the 1980 Irpinia earthquake.

Events
On 1 October 1997 the 30th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Pegaso" based at Fontanarossa Airport in Sicily entered the regiment and began its move from Fontanarossa to Lamezia Terme. On 30 April 1998 the 12th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Gru" based at Lamezia Terme was disbanded and its personnel and equipment integrated into the newly arrived 30th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Pegaso". On 15 November 2000 the regiment entered the Air Cavalry Grouping, which on 1 March 2006 became the Army Aviation Brigade. On 3 April 2001 the 21st Squadrons Group "Orsa Maggiore", at Elmas Airport in Sardinia entered the regiment and in fall 2002 the 20th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Andromeda" was disbanded.

Current Structure


As of 2019 the 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio" consists of:


 * CoA mil ITA rgt aves 2.png 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio", at Lamezia Terme Airport
 * Headquarters Unit, at Lamezia Terme Airport
 * 21st Squadrons Group "Orsa Maggiore", at Elmas Airport
 * Command and Logistic Support Squadron
 * 515th Combat Support Helicopters Squadron
 * Maintenance Squadron
 * 30th Squadrons Group "Pegaso", at Lamezia Terme Airport
 * Command and Logistic Support Squadron
 * 430th Combat Support Helicopters Squadron
 * 530th Combat Support Helicopters Squadron
 * Maintenance Squadron

Equipment
The 21st Squadrons Group "Orsa Maggiore" is equipped with AB 412 helicopters, while the 30th Squadrons Group "Pegaso" is equipped with AB 412 and AB 212 helicopters, the latter of which the army intends to replace with AW 169M helicopters from 2020.