Italian fleet. The newest ships of the French and Italian Navy

Laughter, as we know, prolongs life, and when it comes to the Regia Marina Italiana, then life is doubly prolonged.

An explosive mixture of Italian love of life, negligence and sloppiness can turn any useful undertaking into a farce. There are legends about the Royal Italian Navy: during the war, Italian sailors achieved a fantastic result - fleet losses exceeded the list of ships of the Italian Navy! Almost every Italian ship died/sank/was captured during its service twice, and sometimes three times.

You cannot find another ship in the world like the Italian battleship Conte di Cavour. The formidable battleship was first sunk at her anchorage on November 12, 1940, during a British air raid on the Taranto naval base. "Cavour" was raised from the bottom and stood for repairs throughout the war until it was scuttled by its own crew in September 1943 under the threat of capture by German troops. A year later, the Germans raised the battleship, but at the end of the war, the Cavour was again destroyed by Allied aircraft.

The mentioned attack on the Taranto naval base became a textbook example of Italian punctuality, accuracy and diligence. The pogrom at Taranto, perpetrated by British pilots, is comparable in scale to Pearl Harbor, but the British needed twenty times less effort than the Japanese hawks to attack the American base in Hawaii.

The superstructures of the battleship Conte di Cavour look pitifully at us from the water

In one night, 20 plywood Swordfish biplanes tore the main base of the Italian fleet to pieces, sinking three battleships right in their anchorages. For comparison, in order to “get” the German Tirpitz hiding in the polar Altenfjord, British aviation had to make about 700 sorties (not counting sabotage using mini-submarines).

The reason for the deafening defeat in Taranto is elementary - the hardworking and responsible Italian admirals, for unknown reasons, did not properly tighten the anti-torpedo net. For which they paid.

Other incredible adventures of pasta-making Italian sailors look no less bad:

The submarine Ondina fell in an unequal fight with the South African trawlers Protea and Southern Maid (battle off the coast of Lebanon, July 11, 1942);

The destroyer Sebenico was boarded by the crew of a German torpedo boat right in the port of Venice on September 11, 1943 - immediately after the surrender of Nazi Italy. The former allies threw the Italians overboard, seized the destroyer and, renaming the Sebenico TA-43, used it to guard Mediterranean convoys until the spring of 1945.

The Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci sunk the high-speed 21,000-ton liner Empress of Canada off the coast of Africa. There were 1,800 people on board (400 died) - half of whom, ironically, were Italian prisoners of war.
(however, the Italians are not alone here - similar situations occurred regularly during the Second World War)

etc., etc.

Italian destroyer Dardo greets the end of the war

It is no coincidence that the British are of the opinion: “Italians are much better at building ships than they are at fighting on them.”

And the Italians really knew how to build ships - the Italian school of shipbuilding has always been distinguished by noble, swift lines, record speeds and the incomprehensible beauty and grace of surface ships.

The fantastic battleships of the Littorio class are some of the best pre-war battleships. Heavy cruisers of the Zara type are a brilliant calculation that takes advantage of all the advantages of Italy’s advantageous geographical position in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea (seaworthiness and autonomy be damned - the home shore is always close). As a result, the Italians managed to implement in the Zar design the optimal combination of protection/fire/mobility with an emphasis on heavy armor. The best cruisers of the “Washington” period.

And how can one not recall here the Black Sea leader “Tashkent”, also built at the Livorno shipyards! The full speed is 43.5 knots, and in general, the ship turned out to be excellent.

Littorio-class battleships fire at ships of the British squadron (battle off Cape Spartivento, 1940)
The Italians managed to hit the cruiser Berwick, seriously damaging the latter

Alas, despite its advanced technical equipment, the Regia Marina, once the most powerful of the fleets in the Mediterranean, mediocrely lost all the battles and became a laughing stock. But was it really so?

Slandered heroes

The British can joke as much as they want, but the fact remains: in battles in the Mediterranean, Her Majesty's fleet lost 137 ships of the main classes and 41 submarines. Britain's allies lost another 111 surface combat units. Of course, half of them were sunk by German aircraft and Kriegsmarine submariners - but even the remaining part is enough to forever enroll the Italian “sea wolves” in the pantheon of great naval warriors.

Among the trophies of the Italians -

Her Majesty's battleships "Valient" and "Queen Elizabeth" (blowed up by Italian combat swimmers in the roadstead of Alexandria). The British themselves classify these losses as constructive total loss. In Russian, the ship has been turned into a battered pile of metal with negative buoyancy.
The damaged battleships, one after another, fell to the bottom of Alexandria Bay and were knocked out of action for a year and a half.

Heavy cruiser York: sunk by Italian saboteurs using speedboats loaded with explosives.

Light cruisers "Calypso", "Cairo", "Manchester", "Neptune", "Bonaventure".

Dozens of submarines and destroyers flying the flags of Great Britain, Holland, Greece, Yugoslavia, Free France, the USA and Canada.

For comparison, during the war the Soviet Navy did not sink a single enemy ship larger than a destroyer (in no way as a reproach to Russian sailors - the geography, conditions and nature of the theater of operations are different). But the fact remains that Italian sailors have dozens of striking naval victories to their credit. So do we have the right to laugh at the achievements, exploits and inevitable mistakes of the “pasta makers”?

Battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth in the Alexandria roadstead

Submariners brought no less glory to the Regia Marina - such aces as Gianfranco Gazzana Prioroggia (sank 11 transports with a total weight of 90,000 tons) or Carlo Fetzia di Cossato (16 trophies). In total, a galaxy of ten best Italian submarine warfare aces sank over a hundred Allied ships and vessels with a total displacement of 400,000 tons!

Submariner ace Carlo Fezia di Cossato (1908 - 1944)

During the Second World War, Italian ships of the main classes made 43,207 trips to sea, leaving behind 11 million fiery miles. Italian Navy sailors provided guidance for countless convoys in the Mediterranean theater of operations - according to official data, Italian sailors organized the delivery of 1.1 million military personnel and more than 4 million tons of various cargo to North Africa, the Balkans and islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Precious oil was transported on the return route. Frequently, cargo and personnel were placed directly on the decks of warships.

Statistics say: transport ships under the guise of Regia Marina delivered 28,266 Italian and 32,299 German trucks and tanks to the African continent. In addition, in the spring of 1941, 15,951 pieces of equipment and 87,000 pack animals were transported along the Italy-Balkans route.

In total, during the period of hostilities, warships of the Italian Navy deployed 54,457 mines on communications in the Mediterranean Sea. The Regia Marina maritime patrol aircraft completed 31,107 combat missions, spending 125 thousand hours in the air.

The Italian cruisers Duca d'Aosta and Eugenio di Savoia are laying a minefield off the coast of Libya. A few months later, a British strike force would be blown up by exposed mines. The cruiser Neptune and the destroyer Kandahar will sink to the bottom.

How do all these numbers fit in with the ridiculous image of crooked-armed slackers who do nothing but chew their spaghetti?

Italians have been great sailors since ancient times (Marco Polo), and it would be too naive to believe that during the Second World War they simply threw out the “white flag”. The Italian Navy took part in battles around the world - from the Black Sea to the Indian Ocean. And high-speed Italian boats have even appeared in the Baltic Sea and Lake Ladoga. In addition, Regia Marina ships operated in the Red Sea, off the coast of China, and, of course, in the cold expanses of the Atlantic.

The Italians badly battered Her Majesty's fleet - just one mention of the “black prince” Valerio Borghese threw the entire British Admiralty into confusion.

Bandito-diversanto

“...Italians, in a certain sense, are much smaller soldiers, but much bigger bandits” /M. Weller/
True to the traditions of the legendary “Sicilian mafia,” Italian sailors turned out to be unsuitable for fair naval battles in an open format. The massacre at Cape Matapan, the disgrace at Taranto - the battle and cruising forces of the Regia Marina showed their complete inability to resist Her Majesty's well-trained fleet.

And if so, then we need to force the enemy to play by Italian rules! Submarines, human torpedoes, combat swimmers and boats with explosives. The British fleet was in for big trouble.

Alexandria naval base attack scheme

...On the night of December 18-19, 1941, a British patrol caught two eccentrics in “frog” clothes from Alexandria Bay. Realizing that the situation was dirty, the British battened down all the hatches and doors in the watertight bulkheads of the battleships, gathered on the upper deck and prepared for the worst.

The captured Italians, after a short interrogation, were locked in the lower rooms of the doomed battleship, in the hope that the “pasta men” would finally “split” and still explain what was happening. Alas, despite the danger threatening them, the Italian combat swimmers steadfastly remained silent. Until 6:05 am, when powerful demolition charges went off under the bottoms of the battleships Valiant and Queen Elizabeth. Another bomb destroyed a naval refueling tanker.

Despite the biting “slap in the face” from the Italian Navy, the British paid tribute to the crews of the “human torpedoes”.

"One can only admire the cold-blooded courage and enterprise of the Italians. Everything was carefully thought out and planned."

- Admiral E. Cunnigham, Commander, Her Majesty's Fleet Mediterranean Forces

After the incident, the British frantically gulped for air and looked for ways to protect their naval bases from Italian saboteurs. The entrances to all major Mediterranean naval bases - Alexandria, Gibraltar, La Valletta - were tightly blocked with nets, and dozens of patrol boats were on duty on the surface. Every 3 minutes another depth charge flew into the water. However, over the next two years of the war, another 23 Allied ships and tankers became victims of the frog people.

In April 1942, the Italians deployed an assault force of fast boats and mini-submarines to the Black Sea. At first, the “sea devils” were based in Constanta (Romania), then in Crimea and even in Anapa. The result of the actions of Italian saboteurs was the death of two Soviet submarines and three cargo ships, not counting many attacks and sabotage on the coast.

The capitulation of Italy in 1943 took the “special operations” department by surprise - the “black prince” Valerio Borghese had just begun preparations for another grandiose operation - he was going to “fool around” a little in New York.

Italian mini-submarines in Constanta

Valerio Borghese - one of the main ideologists and inspirers of Italian combat swimmers

The colossal experience of Valerio Borghese's team was appreciated in the post-war years. All available techniques, technologies and developments became the basis for the creation and training of special Navy SEAL units around the world. It is no coincidence that the Borghese combat swimmers are the main suspects in the sinking of the battleship Novorossiysk (captured Italian Giulio Cesare) in 1955. According to one version, the Italians could not survive their shame and destroyed the ship so that it would not fly the enemy flag. However, all this is just speculation.

Epilogue

At the beginning of the 21st century, the Italian navy represents a compact European fleet, armed with the most modern ships and maritime systems.
The modern Italian fleet is in no way similar to the crooked Leaning Tower of Pisa: the training and equipment of Italian sailors meets the most stringent standards and NATO requirements. All ships and aircraft are built into a single information space; when choosing weapons, the guideline is shifted towards purely defensive means - anti-aircraft missile systems, anti-submarine weapons, short-range self-defense means.

The Italian Navy has two aircraft carriers. There is a high-quality underwater component and basic naval aviation. The Italian Navy regularly takes part in peacekeeping and special missions around the globe. Technical equipment is constantly being updated: when choosing weapons, radio-electronic means for navigation, detection and communication, priority is given to leading European developers - the British BAE Systems, the French Thales, as well as Marconi's own corporation. Judging by the results, the Italians are doing great.

However, we should not forget the words of commander Alexander Suvorov: There is no land in the world that would be so dotted with fortresses as Italy. And there is no land that has been conquered so often.

The newest Italian aircraft carrier "Cavour"

"Andrea Doria" - one of two Italian frigates of the "Horizon" class (Orizzonte)

Statistical data -
“The Italian Navy in the Second World War”, author Captain 2nd Rank Mark Antonio Bragadin

Illustrations –
http://www.wikipedia.org/
http://waralbum.ru/

As a result of the defeat of the Nazi coalition in World War II, it lost almost its entire navy. According to the Peace Treaty, it was prohibited from owning and building submarines, and the total tonnage of naval warships should not exceed 67,500 tons. However, after Italy joined the aggressive bloc in 1949, in violation of the articles of the Peace Treaty, the ruling circles of the country, with support, began to restore and active construction of its naval forces.

Currently, as reported in the foreign press, the Italian Navy has over 120 warships (their tonnage significantly exceeds the restrictions mentioned above), about 130 auxiliary ships (total displacement 75,000 tons) and up to 100 anti-submarine aircraft and helicopters. The number of Navy personnel is 45 thousand people.

The Italian Navy consists of the Navy, Navy Aviation and Marine Corps. The fleet includes a squadron, mine sweeping forces and auxiliary vessels. The squadron, which unites all warships of the main classes, organizationally consists of divisions of surface ships and groups of submarines, as well as a mobile rear. In addition, there is a detachment of training ships, a division of torpedo boats and coastal groups of boats, which, depending on the situation, are assigned to ship divisions. The minesweeping force includes all minesweepers and is divided into minesweeping groups assigned to individual naval districts. Naval aviation operates about 30 anti-submarine aircraft, up to 20 fixed-wing aircraft and about 50 anti-submarine helicopters and AB-204Bs. Naval aviation aircraft are organized into three air groups and are operationally subordinate to the Navy command. Most AB-204B anti-submarine helicopters are operated from ships. The Marine Corps is represented by a battalion and several sabotage and reconnaissance units.

The basis of the Italian fleet is a cruiser, two frigates and four destroyers equipped with American missile systems, and, as well as destroyers (four units) and patrol ships (23). Almost all of them were recently built and equipped with modern artillery and mine-torpedo weapons, as well as relatively new radar and hydroacoustic stations. Most of them are armed with anti-submarine helicopters. According to Italian press reports, the new ships are equipped with systems for automatic remote control of mechanisms and are adapted to conduct combat operations in conditions of the use of nuclear weapons.

In addition, the fleet includes 11 submarines, four naval submarines, 36 base and 20 raid minesweepers, eight torpedo boats, three landing transports and two tank landing ships, boats with interchangeable weapons and a hydrofoil missile boat.

The ten-year development program of the Italian Navy, adopted in December 1974, provides for the construction of four URO patrol ships (total displacement 2500 tons), two Sauro-class submarines and four hydrofoil missile boats (displacement 220 tons), the conversion of ten minesweepers into minesweepers - mine hunters, as well as equipping some ships with missile weapons and modern electronic equipment. 1,000 billion liras have been allocated for these purposes.

During the combat training of the fleet, the command of the Italian Navy pays great attention to the issues of anti-submarine and air defense of ship formations at sea, minesweeping and amphibious landings, as well as the protection of sea communications, especially in the coastal zone. These issues are constantly being worked out in almost all exercises conducted both under national plans and within NATO.

The military-political leadership of the aggressive NATO bloc assigns a special place to Italy in its military preparations, figuratively calling it a giant “aircraft carrier” or “a bridge across the Mediterranean Sea.” At the same time, it takes into account Italy’s location in a strategically important area of ​​the South European theater of operations, which allows its fleet to control sea communications connecting the European countries of the North Atlantic bloc with the states of the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia, which have huge reserves of oil and other types of strategic raw materials. And the receipt of these raw materials, especially oil, from these countries, according to Western military experts, will have a significant impact on the conduct of military operations in the European theater of war. In addition, superiority in forces in the Mediterranean, according to the NATO command, creates favorable conditions for striking the flank of the Armed Forces of the Warsaw Pact countries, as well as the ability to control sea communications leading from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.

All this is taken into account by the bloc’s command when determining the place and role of the Italian Navy in the overall plans for the use of NATO’s combined armed forces in the area.

According to the NATO command, Italy currently has a naval force that, in terms of its combat strength, ranks fourth among the navies of capitalist countries (after the USA, Great Britain and France). They are considered an important component of the united armed forces of the bloc in the mentioned theater of operations. The role and importance of the Italian Navy especially increased after France left the NATO military organization. Before this, as reported in the foreign press, the Italian Navy in the bloc system was responsible for the security of only the central part of the Mediterranean Sea, and after the withdrawal of the French Navy from NATO control, the maritime zone of responsibility of the Italian fleet extended to its western part.

The military-political leadership of the North Atlantic bloc, as part of military preparations, created a special command of the joint NATO naval forces in the South European theater of operations, the main purpose of which is to exercise operational command of the naval forces of the bloc countries in the event of war and coordinate their combat operations in certain areas Mediterranean basin.

NATO's combined navies in the theater include the navies of Italy, Greece and Turkey, as well as British ships, American diesel submarines and base patrol aircraft located in the Mediterranean. All these forces and means are subordinated to national commands in peacetime. Their transfer to the operational subordination of the bloc's command is planned only with the outbreak of war, when a state of emergency is declared, or for the period of joint naval exercises. The combined NATO naval forces in the theater are headed by an Italian admiral, who is responsible for developing plans for their use, supervising the combat and operational training of the Italian, Greek and Turkish navies, organizing and conducting exercises with the participation of the combined navies.

As reported in the foreign press, the united naval forces of the bloc are entrusted with the following tasks: ensuring and supporting combat operations of the strike naval forces, fighting enemy submarines and surface ships, blockade of the Black Sea straits in order to prevent enemy ships from leaving the Black Sea in the Mediterranean, supporting ground forces in coastal areas, ensuring the landing and operations of amphibious assault forces, protecting sea communications.

All these tasks are constantly practiced in exercises and maneuvers, which are held annually not only according to the operational and combat training plans of the joint naval forces, but also the joint NATO armed forces in the South European theater of operations. Judging by reports in the foreign press, the degree of participation of the Italian Navy in developing and solving the listed tasks is as follows.

Providing and supporting naval strike forces

As is known, the NATO strike naval forces in the South European theater of operations include the US 6th Fleet, which has been permanently stationed in the Mediterranean since 1948. In peacetime, it is subordinate to the Pentagon. In the event of war or during the period of major exercises involving all types of armed forces, the 6th Fleet will be transferred to the operational subordination of the NATO Commander-in-Chief in the South European Theater of Operations. In the event of a crisis situation, Italian guided missile ships (a cruiser, two frigates and four destroyers) are planned to be assigned to the NATO attack naval forces to strengthen the 60th task force of the 6th fleet. This, according to the NATO command, will provide significant support to the strike force until other ships of the American fleet arrive from naval bases located in the United States.

The foreign press reported that the mission of the 60th operational unit includes: delivering strikes with both conventional and nuclear weapons against ground and sea targets; providing direct support to ground forces operating in the coastal direction and amphibious assault forces during their landing and conducting combat operations on the shore. More than half of the time allocated annually for combat training of the 6th Fleet is spent on practicing these tasks together with the ships of the NMS of Italy and other NATO countries in the Mediterranean Sea, which, according to American military experts, ensures high mobility and constant combat readiness of the combined naval forces to conduct limited wars. Supporting actions, depending on the developing situation, include anti-submarine, anti-air and mine defense measures in the maritime zone of responsibility of the Italian fleet, carried out by specially designated naval forces.

Fighting enemy submarines and surface ships

According to the views of the NATO command, the success of solving the main tasks of naval forces in the theater of operations will largely depend on the effectiveness of the fight against the enemy’s submarine fleet. The underwater threat is now considered the main obstacle to NATO naval forces gaining sea supremacy in a future war. Therefore, training in anti-submarine warfare tasks prevails over other types of combat training for the united naval forces in the theater. For this purpose, special bilateral exercises of the Medasvex type are held annually, as well as exercises and maneuvers that vary in the composition of the forces and assets involved.

Recently, exercises have begun to pay more attention than before to the fight against surface ships. This is due, as foreign press reports indicate, to the entry of the Soviet Navy into the Mediterranean Sea, which became an obstacle to the implementation of the aggressive plans of NATO strategists in this area.

Blockade operations in the zone of the Black Sea Straits and measures for anti-landing defense of their coasts, according to naval specialists of NATO countries, should be carried out by specially created strike groups from large ships of the united navies, as well as mine and network minelayer detachments of the navies of coastal states. It is planned to place net and minefields on the approaches to naval bases, ports, the strait zone and landing areas of the coast in advance, that is, before an immediate threat of armed conflict arises.

Ground Force Support

Support for ground forces operating in the coastal areas of the South European theater of operations is practiced at large annual exercises of the type conducted by the joint armed forces in the theater. As a rule, a large number of ships of the US 6th Fleet, British Navy, Italy, Greece and Turkey are involved in such exercises. When solving the tasks of providing support to ground forces in the offensive, as well as in the anti-landing defense of its coast, the command of the joint NATO naval forces in the South European theater of operations will give paramount importance to ships with missile and artillery weapons. Judging by reports in the foreign press, this command, during the exercises, formed strike groups, the basis of which were Italian guided missile ships.

Ensuring landing and operations of amphibious assault forces

Amphibious operations occupy a significant place in the operational and combat training plans of NATO fleets. In almost all major exercises of the united armed forces of the bloc in the South European Theater of Operations, a battalion of Italian Navy Marines, together with units of the US and British Marine Corps, constantly participates as a tactical landing force. Destroyers and patrol ships are involved in guarding the landing force during the sea crossing, and auxiliary ships are used to deliver the amphibious assault force to the landing site and provide logistical support for its actions on the shore.

Protection of maritime communications

The successful conduct of war by the NATO command is directly dependent on the reliable provision of sea communications. The large length of communication routes in the Mediterranean makes it necessary to have a significant number of diverse forces and means to protect them. It is believed that in a future war, the transport of troops, weapons, military equipment and other military cargo by sea may increase compared to the same transport during the Second World War.

To ensure maritime transport in the Mediterranean world, it is planned to attract most of the Italian destroyers and patrol ships. As reported in the foreign press, all merchant ships of NATO countries, when passing there in wartime, will be combined into convoys, the escort of which in the western and central parts of the Mediterranean Sea will be entrusted to the Italian Navy. But if and takes part in hostilities, then the Italian fleet will only be responsible for escorting convoys in the central part of the sea. At the same time, the minesweeping forces of the Italian Navy are intended to select and ensure safe routes at sea and approaches to Italian ports.

In accordance with the plans of the NATO command, anti-submarine aircraft of Italian naval aviation will be part of the joint NATO air patrol forces in the Mediterranean Sea.

Currently, judging by foreign press reports, the command of NATO's joint armed forces in the South European theater of operations is studying the possibility of redistributing NATO forces in the Mediterranean Sea, which is caused by the recent statement of the Greek government about Greece's withdrawal from the bloc's military organization, as well as some reduction in numbers British Navy in the area. All this, as some foreign experts believe, may entail a new increase in the maritime area of ​​​​responsibility of the Italian fleet, which will amount to approximately 3/4 of the Mediterranean Sea basin, as well as the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Seas.

The Italian Navy is considered modern and highly combat-ready, but, according to some naval experts, it is still unable to effectively control and maintain maritime communications in the Mediterranean Sea. Since the striking forces of the NATO Navy (US 6th Fleet) in the event of an armed conflict are planned to be used to provide support to the combined ground forces in the theater of operations, to strengthen the Italian Navy it is considered advisable to involve destroyers and patrol ships of the English fleet, the arrival of which is planned from the mother country. To strengthen the southern flank of the bloc, the command proposes, on the basis of the NATO naval formation existing since May 1970 for “on-call” operations (one ship each from the US, British, Italian, Greek and Turkish navies), to create a permanent formation of NATO naval forces in the Mediterranean Sea, similar to a permanent NATO naval force on the Atlantic.

According to the Italian press, the Italian government is studying the placement on its territory of those American military bases that can be eliminated in Greece. As you know, the United States has already achieved an agreement on the equipment and use of the Maddalena naval base, and at present (after Greece’s announcement of its withdrawal from the NATO military organization) the bloc’s command has already begun to implement plans for “compensation” by restoring abandoned military structures from the Second World War wars on Italian islands in the Mediterranean Sea. In particular, such work, under the supervision of Pentagon specialists, began on the island. Pantelleria.

Thus, in the general system of NATO preparations for war, the leadership of this bloc considers the Italian Navy as a significant force in the South European theater of operations and assigns them an important role in monitoring sea routes of communication in the Mediterranean basin. In turn, the militaristic circles of Italy are undertaking everything measures to further strengthen the positions of the aggressive bloc of imperialism in this strategically important area of ​​the world.

Italian Navy

General leadership of the naval forces is entrusted to the chief of the general staff of the armed forces, direct - to the chief
the main headquarters of the Navy, which actually serves as the commander. Through his headquarters, he controls the commands of the fleet and aviation
Navy, combat swimmers and saboteurs, as well as the forces of 4 naval districts and 2 atomic commands.
The General Headquarters of the Navy (Rome) is the main governing body and is engaged in the development of construction plans, mobilization deployment,
combat use, combat training, as well as improving the organizational and staff structure. In addition, the main headquarters organizes reconnaissance and
counterintelligence, manages the recruitment, training, and indoctrination of personnel.
Organizationally, the Navy includes:
·fleet
aviation squadrons
forces of four naval districts
· forces of two island military commands
command of combat swimmers
command of the saboteurs "Teseo Theseus".
The fleet's combat strength includes three NK divisions and three brigades (submarines, corvettes, mine-sweeping forces). The commander of the fleet (headquarters in Taranto) is
concurrently commander of the combined NATO naval forces in the central Mediterranean region.
Regarding operational use in combat training, naval aviation is subordinate to the main headquarters of the navy, and logistics support
organize and carry out the relevant structures of the Air Force. It includes a fighter-attack aviation squadron, two wings of the base
patrol aircraft and five separate squadrons of anti-submarine helicopters.
The coast of mainland Italy and the island with adjacent waters is divided into 4 districts:
Upper Tyrrhenian
·Lower Tyrrhenian ·Ionian
Adriatic and 2 nuclear naval commands:
·O. Sicily
·O. Sardinia
The commanders of district and island commands report directly to the Chief of Naval Staff.
Military district commanders are responsible for organizing the defense of military bases, ports and coasts, maintaining a favorable operational regime in
coastal waters of the district, organization of logistics for ships. His subordination includes VM bases, communication centers, and subdivisions.
supplies, supply warehouses, repair shops, educational institutions, hospitals located in the area of ​​responsibility.
The total number of personnel of the Italian Navy reaches 45,000 people: 44,200 in the navy (including 2,600 in the naval aviation) and 800 in the marine corps.
The naval composition of the fleet (regular forces) includes 61 warships and 60 boats. The most modern are light aircraft carriers
"Giuseppe Garibaldi", most of the submarines, frigates and corvettes.
Naval aviation is divided into carrier-based and base-based.
The command of combat swimmers and saboteurs consists of a detachment of combat swimmers and saboteurs and a group of support ships.
The marine corps is represented by the San Marco Marine Battalion, which is stationed in Brindisia and is part of the third division
fleet.
Italian Navy personnel
Class of ship, boat
Quantity
Diesel submarines
8
Aircraft carriers
1
Cruisers
1
Destroyers
4
Frigates
18
Corvettes and patrol ships
13
Tank landing ships, boats
3
Minesweepers
13
Patrol combat boats
7
Missile combat boats
6

The history of the Italian Navy begins in 1946, after World War II ended. At that time, the fleet was in a catastrophic state: the territorial waters were full of mines and sunken ships, the infrastructure required the construction of all buildings from scratch, it was necessary to build new ships. At the same time, there were a number of restrictions, according to which the country was prohibited from having aggressive strike weapons, it could not use nuclear weapons and had restrictions on the total number of ships.

Today, the Italian Navy performs two main tasks: protecting national interests and ensuring global security in close cooperation with NATO.

Structure and deployment of the Italian Navy

Structurally, the Navy is divided into surface and submarine fleets, aviation and marines, together with special forces units.

The following Italian naval territories are distinguished:

1. Northern zone
2. South zone
3. Island of Sicily
4. Central zone

Since 2005, the Italian Navy has launched a process of updating its ship personnel and naval aviation. To date, not all planned vessels are in service; many of them are under construction.

Aircraft carriers

At the moment, the Italian fleet owns two aircraft carriers:

• Cavour - has been in service since 2009, can serve as a landing ship, can carry up to 415 people, 50 armored vehicles or 24 heavy battle tanks. Aviation consists of 8 AV-8B Harrier II aircraft and 12 Agusta Westland AW101 helicopters.
• Giuseppe Garibaldi is the flagship of the Italian Navy, in service since 1985, and can carry 16 AV-8B Harrier II aircraft or 18 Augusta SH-3D helicopters (AgustaWestland AW101). By 2022, it is planned to replace the ship with a newer aircraft carrier.

Also in service are 3 San Giorgio-class amphibious assault helicopter carriers with the following aircraft: 5 AW-101 aircraft or 5 Agusta Bell AB-212 helicopters. It is planned to be decommissioned in 2019.

Submarines

Submarines are presented in 2 classes:

• "Torado", type 212 - diesel-electric submarines built in Germany at the beginning of the 21st century. As of 2017, the fleet owns 4 ships, weapons include Triton anti-ship missiles, torpedo weapons, and mines.
• "Sauro" are Italian-made diesel submarines built in the late 80s and early 90s. There are 4 vessels left in service. On board are Whitehead A-184 torpedoes and mines.

Destroyers

4 destroyers of the Orizzonte (new) and Durand de la Penne (preparing for replacement) class have the following weapons on board:

• Aster anti-aircraft missiles with a flight range from 1.7 km to 120 km;
• Anti-ship missiles TESEO Mk-2/A;
• VASS B515/1 torpedoes;
• 1 helicopter AW-101 or SH90A.

Battleships

All Italian battleships were sunk during World War II; the results of the battles showed that these types of ships were outdated and their further construction was impractical.

Frigates

As of 2017, the Italian Navy has 3 types of frigates:

• “Maestrale” - 8 ships, originally built for anti-submarine defense, but they also cope well with anti-aircraft missions. At the moment, there are 6 vessels left in service, which are also planned to be replaced. The armament includes the Teseo Mk.2 anti-ship missile launcher, the Albatross air defense missile launcher, the Aspide missile defense system, and AB-212 helicopters.
• Lupo are light patrol frigates built in the 1980s. There are 2 ships left in service, armament includes an AB-212ASW helicopter, a Sea Sparrow/Aspide SAM launcher, and Mark 32 torpedoes.
• “Bergamini” – as of 2017, 6 ships are in service, 4 more will appear before 2021. The following weapons are on board: Aster missiles, Teseo\Otomat MK-2 anti-ship missiles, MU 90 torpedoes, SH90 helicopters.

Boats

Landing boats are represented by the following types: LCM62, MTM217, MTP96. The total number is 20 vessels. These ships also carry out escort missions.

Cassiopea-class patrol boats were built in the 80s, and currently there are 4 vessels in service. They are designed to patrol in secure areas.

Minesweepers

Mine sweeping ships are represented by the Lerici type, which includes the following subtypes:

• Lerici - 4 vessels, commissioned in 1985, on board there are 4 officers, 7 divers, 36 other personnel, armament includes Oerlikon cannon, Oropesa anti-mine system.
• Gaeta - 8 ships, in service since 1996. Differences from the first type: elongated body, improved radars.

By 2018, the release of new, even more modern equipment for Lerici minesweepers is expected.

Corvettes

The Minerva class corvettes were built in the 90s, they are distinguished by good speed and armament: Sea Sparrow or Selenia Aspide missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes. Of the 8 ships, 2 remain in service.