Army Aviation Brigade (Italy)

The Army Aviation Brigade is the Italian Army's aviation brigade. Four of the army's six aviation regiments are part of the brigade, while two aviation regiments are part of the Airmobile Brigade "Friuli".

Army Aviation Brigade
Brigata Aviazione dell'Esercito
Coat of Arms of the Army Aviation Brigade
Active	2001 - present
Country	Italy
Allegiance	Italian Army
Branch	Army
Type	Brigade
Part of	Army Aviation Command
Garrison/HQ	Viterbo
Motto(s)	Ubique Celere ("Everywhere rapidly")

1 Antares
3 Aldebaran

2 Sirio

4 Altair

5 Rigel

7 Vega

34 Toro

21 Orsa Maggiore

1 Idra

2 Orione

3 Aquila

4 Scorpione

Army Aviation locations 2019:
Flying units Support units

Army Aviation AB 205 helicopter

History

The unit was founded in 2001 as Air Cavalry Grouping with the 1st Air Cavalry Regiment "Antares", 2nd Air Cavalry Regiment "Sirio", 4th Air Cavalry Regiment "Altair", 28th Squadrons Group "Tucano", and the Squadrons Group So.A.T.C.C. "Dragone" (Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Signals, Command and Control Group).[1]

In 2003 the aviation units left the cavalry arm and became a distinct corps of the army, therefore the Grouping was renamed Army Aviation Grouping, which was changed on 1 March 2006 to Army Aviation Brigade. On the same date the Squadrons Group So.A.T.C.C. was disbanded. On 10 November 2014 the 26th Squadrons Group "Giove" left the 1st Army Aviation Regiment "Antares" and was reorganized as 3rd Special Operations Helicopter Regiment "Aldebaran" on the same day.[2]

Current structure

As of the 2019 the brigade is organized as follows:

• Army Aviation Brigade, at Viterbo Airport (Lazio)
  • 1st Army Aviation Regiment "Antares", at Viterbo Airport (Lazio)
    • 11th Squadrons Group "Ercole" with CH-47F "Chinook"
    • 28th Squadrons Group "Tucano" with P180 Avanti II and Do 228 planes, and Shadow 200 drones
    • Support Squadrons Group
  • 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio", at Lamezia Terme Airport (Calabria)
    • 21st Squadrons Group "Orsa Maggiore", at Elmas Airport (Sardinia) with AB 412
    • 30th Squadrons Group "Pegaso", at Lamezia Terme Airport, with AB 212 and AB 412
  • 3rd Special Operations Helicopter Regiment "Aldebaran", at Viterbo Airport (Lazio)
    • 26th Squadrons Group "Giove" with one CH-47F ER "Chinook", one AB 412 and one NH90 squadron
  • 4th Army Aviation Regiment "Altair", at Bolzano Airport (South Tyrol)
    • 34th Squadrons Group "Toro", at Venaria Reale Airport (Piedmont) with AB 205A
    • 54th Squadrons Group "Cefeo", at Bolzano Airport, with AB 205A

References

1. "Brigata Aviazione dell'Esercito - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
2. "3° Reggimento elicotteri per Operazioni Speciali "Aldebaran" - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 13 November 2019.

External links

• Italian Army Website: Army Aviation Brigade