Army Aviation Aviazione dell'Esercito | |
---|---|
![]() A UH-205A (MM80547) of the
5th Corps' 5th Army Aviation Group "Rigel" at Viterbo in 1987. | |
Active | 10 May 1951-present |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | Italian Army |
Type | specialty |
Nickname(s) | AVES |
Patron | Madonna of Loreto |
Motto(s) | Volat agile, rapide observat "Fly nimbly, observe swiftly" |
Colors | light blue (beret) |
Anniversaries | 10 May |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Brigadier General Luigi Francavilla |
Insignia | |
Coat of arms |
![]() |
The Army Aviation (Aviazione dell'Esercito, abbreviated in AVES) is a specialty of the Italian Army. Missions of the Army Aviation are the search and rescue, combat search and rescue, close air support, troop transportation, supply transportation and reconnaissance. Its members are recognizable by their light blue berets. It is the youngest specialty of the Italian Army.
Army Aviation units are split between the Army Aviation Command and the Airmobile Brigade "Friuli".
The Army Aviation Command (Comando Aviazione dell'Esercito) is a three-star command that consists of the Army Aviation Brigade, the Army Aviation Support Command and the Army Aviation Training Center. The command is headquartered at Viterbo, Lazio.
The Army Aviation Brigade (Brigata Aviazione dell'Esercito) has administrative control of three rotary-wing aircraft regiments and a VIP-transportation fixed-wing aircraft squadrons group. Its subordinate flying units are: [1]
The 26th Special Operations Helicopter Unit will be expanded to regimental status by the end of 2014, renamed 3rd Special Operations Helicopter Regiment "Aldebaran" and placed under the newly-established Army Special Forces Command. [2]
The Army Aviation Training Center (Centro Addestrativo Aviazione dell'Esercito) is tasked with the training of the pilots and their support personnel and the development of new flight techniques. The center is made up by the 1st Training Squadrons Group "Auriga" of Viterbo and the 21st Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Orsa Maggiore" of Elmas, Sardinia (UH-205A).
The 21st "Orsa Maggiore" will be transferred to the 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio" during the course of 2014.
The Army Aviation Support Command (Comando di Sostegno dell'Aviazione dell'Esercito) is tasked with the maintenance of the aircraft. It is made up by four army aviation support regiments: the 1st "Idra" of Bracciano, Lazio, the 2nd "Orione" of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, the 3rd "Aquila" of Orio al Serio, Lombardy and the 4th "Scorpione" of Viterbo.
The Airmobile Brigade "Friuli" (Brigata Aeromobile "Friuli") consists of two rotary-wing aircraft regiments: [3]
Aircraft | Origin | Type | Active [4] [5] |
Italian designation Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rotary-wing | ||||||
AgustaWestland AH-129C Mangusta | ![]() |
Attack | 59 | Exploration and Escort Helicopter
| ||
AgustaWestland MRH-109A | ![]() |
Observation | 17 | Combat Support Helicopter-2
| ||
Agusta Bell UH-205A | ![]() ![]() |
Utility | 59 | Combat Support Helicopter-3
| ||
Agusta Bell UH-212 |
![]() ![]() |
Utility | 18 | Combat Support Helicopter-4
| ||
Agusta Bell HH-412 Grifone | ![]() ![]() |
Utility | 22 | Combat Support Helicopter-5
| ||
Agusta Bell RH-206 | ![]() ![]() |
Training | 27 | Combat Support Helicopter-1
| ||
Boeing CH-47C Chinook | ![]() |
Transport | 14 | Medium Transport Helicopter
| ||
NHIndustries UH-90A | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Transport | 20 | Tactical Transport Helicopter
| ||
Fixed-wing | ||||||
Dornier UC-228 | ![]() |
Utility | 3 | Light Transport and Liaison Aircraft | ||
Piaggio VC-180A Avanti | ![]() |
Transport | 3 | Regional Transport and Liaison Aircraft |
Rank | Name | From [6] | To | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Silvio Torre | October 1, 1997 | October 15, 2001 | |
![]() |
Luigi Chiavarelli | October 16, 2001 | February 8, 2005 | |
![]() |
Enzo Stefanini | February 9, 2005 | February 28, 2013 | |
![]() |
Giangiacomo Calligaris | January 1, 2013 | January 23, 2014 | Died during an aviation accident |
![]() |
Luigi Francavilla | January 24, 2014 | - |
Army Aviation Aviazione dell'Esercito | |
---|---|
![]() A UH-205A (MM80547) of the
5th Corps' 5th Army Aviation Group "Rigel" at Viterbo in 1987. | |
Active | 10 May 1951-present |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | Italian Army |
Type | specialty |
Nickname(s) | AVES |
Patron | Madonna of Loreto |
Motto(s) | Volat agile, rapide observat "Fly nimbly, observe swiftly" |
Colors | light blue (beret) |
Anniversaries | 10 May |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Brigadier General Luigi Francavilla |
Insignia | |
Coat of arms |
![]() |
The Army Aviation (Aviazione dell'Esercito, abbreviated in AVES) is a specialty of the Italian Army. Missions of the Army Aviation are the search and rescue, combat search and rescue, close air support, troop transportation, supply transportation and reconnaissance. Its members are recognizable by their light blue berets. It is the youngest specialty of the Italian Army.
Army Aviation units are split between the Army Aviation Command and the Airmobile Brigade "Friuli".
The Army Aviation Command (Comando Aviazione dell'Esercito) is a three-star command that consists of the Army Aviation Brigade, the Army Aviation Support Command and the Army Aviation Training Center. The command is headquartered at Viterbo, Lazio.
The Army Aviation Brigade (Brigata Aviazione dell'Esercito) has administrative control of three rotary-wing aircraft regiments and a VIP-transportation fixed-wing aircraft squadrons group. Its subordinate flying units are: [1]
The 26th Special Operations Helicopter Unit will be expanded to regimental status by the end of 2014, renamed 3rd Special Operations Helicopter Regiment "Aldebaran" and placed under the newly-established Army Special Forces Command. [2]
The Army Aviation Training Center (Centro Addestrativo Aviazione dell'Esercito) is tasked with the training of the pilots and their support personnel and the development of new flight techniques. The center is made up by the 1st Training Squadrons Group "Auriga" of Viterbo and the 21st Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Orsa Maggiore" of Elmas, Sardinia (UH-205A).
The 21st "Orsa Maggiore" will be transferred to the 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio" during the course of 2014.
The Army Aviation Support Command (Comando di Sostegno dell'Aviazione dell'Esercito) is tasked with the maintenance of the aircraft. It is made up by four army aviation support regiments: the 1st "Idra" of Bracciano, Lazio, the 2nd "Orione" of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, the 3rd "Aquila" of Orio al Serio, Lombardy and the 4th "Scorpione" of Viterbo.
The Airmobile Brigade "Friuli" (Brigata Aeromobile "Friuli") consists of two rotary-wing aircraft regiments: [3]
Aircraft | Origin | Type | Active [4] [5] |
Italian designation Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rotary-wing | ||||||
AgustaWestland AH-129C Mangusta | ![]() |
Attack | 59 | Exploration and Escort Helicopter
| ||
AgustaWestland MRH-109A | ![]() |
Observation | 17 | Combat Support Helicopter-2
| ||
Agusta Bell UH-205A | ![]() ![]() |
Utility | 59 | Combat Support Helicopter-3
| ||
Agusta Bell UH-212 |
![]() ![]() |
Utility | 18 | Combat Support Helicopter-4
| ||
Agusta Bell HH-412 Grifone | ![]() ![]() |
Utility | 22 | Combat Support Helicopter-5
| ||
Agusta Bell RH-206 | ![]() ![]() |
Training | 27 | Combat Support Helicopter-1
| ||
Boeing CH-47C Chinook | ![]() |
Transport | 14 | Medium Transport Helicopter
| ||
NHIndustries UH-90A | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Transport | 20 | Tactical Transport Helicopter
| ||
Fixed-wing | ||||||
Dornier UC-228 | ![]() |
Utility | 3 | Light Transport and Liaison Aircraft | ||
Piaggio VC-180A Avanti | ![]() |
Transport | 3 | Regional Transport and Liaison Aircraft |
Rank | Name | From [6] | To | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Silvio Torre | October 1, 1997 | October 15, 2001 | |
![]() |
Luigi Chiavarelli | October 16, 2001 | February 8, 2005 | |
![]() |
Enzo Stefanini | February 9, 2005 | February 28, 2013 | |
![]() |
Giangiacomo Calligaris | January 1, 2013 | January 23, 2014 | Died during an aviation accident |
![]() |
Luigi Francavilla | January 24, 2014 | - |