Squadra navale

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A Squadra navale (" Eskadre ", " Squadron ") is a major unit of the Italian Navy . He is usually commanded by a three-star admiral ( Ammiraglio di Squadra ) . Until the Second World War there were several offshore associations of this type, which were divided into divisions and other subordinate associations. The entirety of the ocean-going fleet was mostly called Armata navale (" Armada ", " Flotte ") or Forze navali ("Naval Forces"). After the war, the deep-sea fleet (later also other units) was combined in a single squadra navale , subordinate to the Comandante in Capo della Squadra Navale (CINCNAV) in the fleet command in Santa Rosa near Rome . Flotta has been a colloquial synonym for Squadra navale ever since .

history

In the Regia Marina

Command signal of an Ammiraglio di Squadra of the Regia Marina
Command sign of an Ammiraglio di Squadra of the Marina Militare

In the navy of the Kingdom of Italy ( Regia Marina , Eng. "Royal Navy") there were usually two to three squadre navali or high seas squadrons. The 1st Squadra navale had its main base in Taranto and was mainly responsible for the eastern Mediterranean, the 2nd Squadra navale in La Spezia operated mainly in the western Mediterranean. At various times there was also a third squadra navale , which was either a third operational sea squadron, or a reserve squadron, or a large unit (as in World War II) in which all submarines were combined. During the war, the high seas could also be used largely unified under the command of a fleet chief (Comandante in Capo dell'Armata Navale) . A corresponding, mostly embarked agency existed from August 25, 1914 to March 11, 1928 (Comando in Capo dell'Armata Navale) and from December 9, 1940 (Comando in Capo delle Forze Navali) to the takeover by the fleet command that still exists today CINCNAV on January 15, 1952.

In the Marina Militare

The high seas fleet of the Italian Navy, renamed Marina Militare after the war , was combined in a single Squadra navale , which was divided into four divisions and a submarine command during the Cold War . In 1984 the squadra navale had the following structure:

  • 1ª Divisione navale (La Spezia)
  • 2ª Divisione navale (Taranto)
  • Squadriglia aliscafi ( Sparviero-class hydrofoils )
  • Squadriglia motocannoniere (Freccia and Lampo speed boats)
  • Gruppo navi da sbarco (DropShips Grado, Caorle ; smaller units; San Marco battalion )
  • 4ª Divisione navale (Taranto)
  • 1ª Squadriglia corvette ( Augusta ) ( Fasan, Margottini , Corvettes of the De Cristofaro class)
  • 2ª Squadriglia corvette (Augusta) (Albatros class corvettes)
  • Comando sommergibili (Taranto)
  • 1º Gruppo sommergibili (Taranto) (submarines of the classes Sauro and Tang)
  • 2º Gruppo sommergibili (Augusta) ( Toti-class submarines )

Other units (in particular anti-mine vehicles) were subordinate to the coastal section commands ( Dipartimento militare marittimo ) .

In 1999 this organization was given up in the course of a comprehensive reform of the armed forces in favor of subordinate type commands. Instead of the divisions, the following sub-commands were created:

  • the high seas command Comando delle Forze d'Altura (COMFORAL) in Taranto with aircraft carriers , destroyers , frigates and supplies. COMFORAL maintained two subordinate, peripheral units in Brindisi with the landing ships and in La Spezia with some frigates, supply units and support units . COMFORAL was dissolved in September 2014. There were again three sea squadrons ( Gruppi navali ) in La Spezia (1st), Taranto (2nd) and Brindisi (3rd), which are directly subordinate to CINCNAV. In 2016 the three squadrons were given the old name Divisione navale again .
  • the coastal patrol command Comando delle Forze da Pattugliamento per la Sorveglianza e la Difesa Costiera (COMFORPAT) in Augusta with corvettes and patrol ships. COMFORPAT continues to exist;
  • the amphibious commando Comando delle Forze da Sbarco (COMFORSBARC) , which was renamed Comando delle Forze Anfibie (COMFORANF) in 2013 . This command includes the marines and smaller landing craft. Larger DropShips will be assigned if necessary. COMFORANF continues to exist in this form;
  • the submarine command Comando delle Forze Subacquee (COMFORSUB) in Taranto. In 2013 it was given the new (old) name Comando Sommergibili and the traditional short name MARICOSOM . MARICOSOM was relocated to the fleet command in Santa Rosa. The subordinate submarine flotilla (COMFLOTSOM) is stationed in Taranto. COMFLOTSOM is a force provider to which the submarine school is also subordinate;
  • the anti-mine command Comando delle Forze di Contromisure Mine / Dragaggio (COMFORDRAG / MARICODRAG) in La Spezia.

In 2013, the coastal section commands (Dipartimento militare marittimo) were dissolved in their previous form and their support and training vehicles were subordinated to the Squadra navale . For this purpose, the new Comando delle Forze Ausiliarie (COMFORAUS) was established in La Spezia . COMFORDRAG and COMFORAUS were led by a one-star admiral in personal union. At the end of 2014 the support ship command COMFORAUS was reclassified, renamed Comando Flottiglia Unità Ausiliarie (COMFLOTAUS) and organizationally separated from COMFORDRAG (since the end of 2014 MARICODRAG).

The Comando in Capo della Squadra Navale (CINCNAV) in Santa Rosa near Rome is also home to the COMFORAER naval aviation command and the MARITELE telecommunications command. CINCNAV is also subordinate to the Fleet Training Command (MARICENTADD) in San Vito, a few kilometers southwest of Taranto.

Current composition

In this section only the ships of the Squadra Navale are listed according to their affiliation (as of June 2020), details on naval aviators (COMFORAER) and marine infantry (COMFORANF) can be found in the main articles.

  • Fleet Command (Comando in Capo della Squadra Navale - CINCNAV) ( Santa Rosa )
  • 1. (Ocean) Division (1ª Divisione navale - COMDINAV UNO) (La Spezia)
  • 2nd (Ocean) Division (2ª Divisione navale - COMDINAV DUE) ( Taranto )
  • 3rd ( Deep Sea ) Division (3ª Divisione navale - COMDINAV TRE) ( Brindisi )
  • Submarine Command (Comando Sommergibili - MARICOSOM) (Santa Rosa)
  • Submarine Squadron (Comando Flottiglia Sommergibili - COMFLOTSOM) (Taranto)
  • Command Patrol and Coastal Defense Forces (Comando delle Forze da Pattugliamento per la Sorveglianza e la Difesa Costiera - COMFORPAT) ( Augusta )
  • 1st Patrol Squadron (1ª Squadriglia da pattugliamento - COMSQUAPAT UNO) (Augusta)
  • 2nd Patrol Squadron (2ª Squadriglia da pattugliamento - COMSQUAPAT DUE) (Augusta)
  • 10th Coastal Squadron (10º Gruppo navale costiero - COMGRUPNAVCOST 10) ( Sharm El Sheikh , MFO )
  • Esploratore (P405), Sentinella (P406), Vedetta (P407) (patrol boats of the Esploratore class, of which 1 alternately in La Spezia; Sharm El Sheikh)
  • Mine Defense Command (Comando delle Forze di Contromisure Mine / Dragaggio - MARICODRAG) (La Spezia)
  • 54th Anti- Mine Squadron (54ª Squadriglia dragamine - COMSQUADRAG 54) (La Spezia)
  • Survey and test squadron (Squadriglia unità idrografiche ed esperienze - COMSQUAIDRO) (La Spezia)
  • Auxiliary Command (Comando Flottiglia unità ausiliarie - COMFLOTAUS) (La Spezia)
  • 1st Auxiliary Squadron (1º Gruppo ausiliario - COMGRUPAUS UNO) (La Spezia)
  • Gorgona (A5347), Caprera (A5349), Capri (A5353) (Gorgona-class coastal transporters and mine layers; La Spezia)
  • Ponza (A5364), Levanzo (A5366), Tavolara (A5367), Palmaria (A5368) (coastal transporters and workshop units of the Ponza class; La Spezia)
  • Argo (presidential yacht ; successor is drafted Sanjir ; La Spezia)
  • 1 Esploratore class patrol boat of the 10th Coast Squadron (rotating from Sharm El-Sheikh; La Spezia)
  • Staffetta (P408) (Esploratore-class patrol boat; La Maddalena)
  • 2nd Auxiliary Squadron (2º Gruppo ausiliario - COMGRUPAUS DUE) (Messina)
  • Tremiti (A5348), Pantelleria (A5351), Lipari (A5352) (Gorgona-class coastal transporters and mine layers; Taranto, Messina)
  • Procida (A5383) (coastal transporter and workshop unit of the Ponza class; Taranto)
  • Ticino (A5376), Tirso (A5377) (water tanker; Augusta)
  • Panarea (A5370), Linosa (A5371), Favignana (A5372), Salina (A5373) (coastal tanker; Augusta, Taranto)
  • Sailboat Squadron (Gruppo a vela - COMGRUPVELA) (Livorno Naval Academy; La Spezia)
  • Orsa Maggiore (A5323), Corsaro II (A5316) (sailing boats; La Spezia)
  • Capricia (A5322), Stella Polare (A5313) (sailing boats; Livorno)
  • Caroly (A5302) (sailing boat; La Maddalena)

A number of smaller sea vessels are not listed here, including the around 40 COMFORANF landing craft, around 40 tugs, various small tenders, coastal transporters, barges, security boats, test boats, sailing boats, workshop units, floating cranes, floating docks and the like.

The special forces command COMSUBIN is directly subordinate to the Admiral's staff. Therefore, its ships are not part of the Squadra navale . COMSUBIN is responsible for the submarine rescue ship Anteo (A5309), the high-speed multi-purpose boats Angelo Cabrini (P420) and Tullio Tedeschi (P421) as well as the boats Mario Marino (Y498) and Alcide Pedretti (Y499).

Web links

See also