San Marco Marine Brigade


The "San Marco" Marine Brigade is an amphibious formation of the Italian Navy, has been brigade since 2013 but the amphibious corps existed since 1915, reorganizing the Navy Landing Force. It has its command in Brindisi. They are the marines of the Italian Navy.
It is a joint formation, framed within the amphibious projection force, whose commander is the same admiral who serves as commander of the San Marco Brigade.

History

On January 26, the Regiment "La Marina" of the Kingdom of Sardinia was expanded, becoming the Brigata di Marina: to the already existing regiment of sailors, was also added an infantry regiment. With this distribution, the formation participated in the 1848 at the Italian War of Independence, distinguishing itself in the battles of Novara, Goito, Pastrengo, and Peschiera, and later was dissolved. Recognized as a Regiment in the 1861 in the Italian Royal Navy, it joined the battle of Lissa and then it was dissolved again in the 1878, following the will of the Italian Admiral Benedetto Brin.
The formation previously known as the San Marco Battalion later became the San Marco Regiment in the 1990s.
A joint Italian-Spanish landing force was established on 23 November 1996, in order to operate in international combat theaters on behalf of NATO.
The SILF was structured in the form of an amphibious brigade, consisting of two manoeuvre units, one being "San Marco" Regiment, of marine infantry, artillery, anti-armour and air defense weapons, reconnaissance and demolition, engineers, helicopters and air support, IFVs and assault vehicles.
On 1 October 1999, the Landing Force of the Navy was created, under the command of a Rear Admiral, stationed in Brindisi Naval Base and formed in two regiments: the "San Marco" Regiment and the "Carlotto" Regiment, both controlled by a Captain, and the Landing Craft Group, commanded by a Commander.
The Landing Force was renamed from 1 March 2013 as "San Marco" Marine Brigade, still being based in Brindisi, but consisting of three regiments, totalling about 3,800 marines. It is commanded by an Admiral, reporting directly to the Commander in Chief of the Italian Navy Fleet Command.

Organization

The brigade is organized as follows:

San Marco Marine Brigade

The San Marco Marine Brigade and the Navy's 3rd Naval Division form together with the Italian Army's Cavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli" the Italian military's National Sea Projection Capability.San Marco Marine Brigade, in Brindisi

1st San Marco Regiment

1st San Marco Regiment, in Brindisi - amphibious landing force
  • * Command Unit
  • ** Command Company with an Air Support Element team
  • ** Signal Company
  • ** Paratroopers Swimmers Company
  • *** 2x Reconnaissance platoons, 2x SALT platoons
  • ** EOD/IEDD Engineer Platoon
  • ** FHT Platoon
  • * 1st Assault Battalion "Grado"
  • ** 1st Assault Company "Bafile"
  • *** 3x Assault platoons, 1x support weapons platoon
  • ** 2nd Assault Company "Tobruk"
  • *** 3x Assault platoons, 1x support weapons platoon
  • ** Support Weapons Company
  • *** 1x Command support platoon, 1x AAV7-A1 platoon with amphibious assault vehicles
  • * 2nd Assault Battalion "Venezia"
  • ** 3rd Assault Company "An Nassiriya"
  • *** 3x Assault platoons, 1x support weapons platoon
  • ** 4th Assault Company "Monfalcone"
  • *** 3x Assault platoons, 1x support weapons platoon
  • ** Support Weapons Company
  • *** 1x Command support platoon, 1x AAV7-A1 platoon with amphibious assault vehicles
  • * 3rd Combat Logistic Support Battalion "Golametto"
  • ** Command Support Platoon
  • ** Logistic Company
  • ** Tactical Transport Company
  • ** Medical Company

2nd San Marco Regiment

2nd San Marco Regiment, in Brindisi - maritime interdiction operations and embarked naval protection teams
  • * Mobility Team
  • * Naval Operations Battalion, in Brindisi
  • ** 2x Naval operations companies, each with 10x ship teams
  • * Interdiction and Protection Battalion, in Brindisi
  • ** Force Protection Company, with 10x teams
  • ** Port Protection Company, with 10x teams

3rd San Marco Regiment

3rd San Marco Regiment, in Taranto - installations defense service
  • * 1st Honor Guard Company, in Rome
  • * National Emergencies Company, in Taranto
  • * K9 Unit, in Taranto
  • * SDI Battalion North, in La Spezia
  • ** Command Support Team
  • ** Telecommunications Team
  • ** SDI Company Liguria, in La Spezia
  • *** 3x SDI platoons: in La Spezia, Luni, and Ancona
  • ** SDI Company Sardinia, in La Maddalena
  • *** 3x SDI platoons: at La Maddalena, Santo Stefano, and Tavolara
  • * SDI Battalion Centre - Rome, in Rome
  • ** Command Support Team
  • ** Telecommunications Team
  • ** SDI Company Rome, at the Navy General Staff
  • * SDI Battalion South, in Taranto
  • ** Command Support Team
  • ** Telecommunications Team
  • ** SDI Company Taranto, in Taranto
  • *** 3x SDI platoons: in Taranto, Grottaglie, and Pozzuoli
  • ** SDI Company Brindisi, in Brindisi
  • *** 3x SDI platoons: in Brindisi, Mesagne, and at the San Marco Marine Brigade headquarter
  • ** SDI Company Sicily, in Augusta
  • *** 4x SDI platoons: in Augusta, Priolo Gargallo, Catania, and the NATO Pier in Augusta

3rd Naval Division

The brigade is transported by the navy's 3rd Naval Division, co-located with the brigade in Brindisi, which consists of the following ships:

Equipment