Italian Naval Aviation


The Italian Naval Aviation is the naval air component of the Italian Navy composed of around 2000 men and women and 69 aircraft and helicopters.

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. 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 McDonnell Douglas [AV-8B Harrier II|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.