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EspañolMARINA MILITARE
Marina Militare naval jack
'''Marina Militare''' (the ''Italian Navy'') is one of the four branches of the military forces of Italy. It was born in 1946, as the Navy of the Italian Republic, from the ashes of the Regia Marina. The Marina Militare celebrates the anniversary (1918) of the sinking of the Austro-Hungarian battleship SMS Szent István on June 10.
Structure
''Marina Militare'' is divided into five corps:
★ ''Armi Navale'' (naval ordnance corps);
★ ''Genio Navale'' (naval combat engineering)
★ ''Commissariato Militare Marittimo'' (commissariat)
★ ''Corpo Sanitario'' (sanitary service)
★ ''Guardia Costiera'' (coast guard).
Ensign
Ensign of the ''Marina Militare''. Merchant navy adopts a similar ensign, where no crown appears and the lion holds the opened book instead of a sword.
The ensign of the ''Marina Militare'' is the Italian tricolour with ''Marina Militare'' emblem on the white third. The emblem is composed by a shield, whose four parts are reference to Medieval Italian Thalassocracies (Italian: ''Repubbliche Marinare''):
★ 1st quarter: on red, a golden winged lion wielding a sword (Republic of Venice);
★ 2nd quarter: on white field, red cross (Republic of Genoa);
★ 3rd quarter: on blue field, white cross (Republic of Amalfi);
★ 4th quarter: on red field, white cross (Republic of Pisa).
The shield has a golden crown, that distinguish military vessels from merchant: the crown, "Corona rostrata", was proposed in 1939 by Admiral Cavagnari to the Government, as an acknowledge of the Italian Navy's origin since the Roman times. In the proposal, Adm. Cavagnari wrote that "in order to recall the common origin [of the Navy] from the Roman sailorship, the Insignia will be surmounted by the towered Crown with rostrums, the emblem of honour and valour the Roman Senate awarded to the leaders of naval victories, conquerors of lands and cities across the seas". Another difference with the merchant vessels flag is that the lion symbolizing the Republic of Venice has the book in its paw closed (the Mark's Gospel, that on the Republic Insignia is open on the words "Pax tibi Marce, evangelista meus", Peace to you Mark, my Evangelist) and it is wielding a sword.
History
The Marina Militare Italiana was born as Regia Marina on 17 March 1861, after the proclamation of the Italian Kingdom
See: Regia Marina
After World War II
At the end of its five year involvement in World War II, Italy was a devastated nation. After the end of hostilities the ''Regia Marina'', which at the beginning of the war was the fourth largest navy in the world with a mix of modernised and new battleships, started a long and complex rebuilding process. The important combat contributions of the Italian naval forces after the signing of the armistice with the Allies on 8 September 1943 and the subsequent cooperation agreement on 23 September 1943 left the ''Regia Marina'' in a poor condition, with much of its infrastructure and bases unusable and its ports mined and blocked by sunken ships. However a large number of its naval units had survived the war, albeit in a low efficiency state, which was due to the conflict and the age of many vessels. The vessels that remained were:
The ''Amerigo Vespucci'' in Venice
★ 2 aircraft carriers
★ 5 battleships
★ 9 cruisers
★ 11 destroyers
★ 22 frigates
★ 19 corvettes
★ 44 fast coastal patrol units
★ 50 minesweepers
★ 16 amphibious operations vessels
★ 2 school ships, one of which was the sailing ship ''Amerigo Vespucci''
★ 1 support ship and plane transport
★ various submarine units
The peace Treaty
The peace Treaty signed on 10 February 1947 in Paris was onerous for the Marina. Apart from territorial and material losses, also the following restrictions were imposed:
★ A ban to own, to build or to experiment with atomic weapons, self-propulsion projectiles or relative launchers, etc…
★ A ban to own Battleships, Aircraft carriers, Submarines and Amphibious Assault units.
★ A ban to operate military installations on the islands of Pantelleria, Pianosa and on the archipelago of Pelagie Islands.
The treaty also ordered Italy to put the following ships at the disposals of the victorious nations United States, Soviet Union, Great Britain, France, Greece, Jugoslavia and Albania as war compensation:
★ 3 Battleships: ''Giulio Cesare'', ''Italia'', ''Vittorio Veneto'';
★ 5 Cruisers: ''Emanuele Filiberto Duca d'Aosta'', ''Attilio Regolo'', ''Scipione Africano'', ''Eugenio di Savoia'' and ''Eritrea'';
★ 7 Destroyers, 5 of the "''Soldati''" class and ''Augusto Riboty'' and ''Alfredo Oriani'';
★ 6 Minesweepers: like ''Aliseo'' and ''Fortunale'';
★ 8 Submarines: 3 of the "''Acciaio''" class;
★ 1 Sailing School ship: ''Cristoforo Colombo''.
The total displacement, battleships excluded, of the future navy was not allowed to be greater than 67,500 tons, while the staff was capped at 25.000 men.
=== The adhesion to NATO ===
The great changes in the international political situation convinced Great Britain and the United States to cease the process of handing in of the navy's large ships, which had been dismantled in La Spezia between 1948 and 1955, including the flagship aircraft carrier "''Aquila''". The Soviet Union, instead, claimed the handing in of the warship "''Giulio Cesare''" and much of units to her attributed. The cruisers "''Attilio Regolo''" and "''Scipione Africano''" became the French "''Chateaurenault''" and "''Guichen''", while the "''Eugenio di Savoia''" became the Greek "''Helli''". So only a small part of the fleet, that which was not transferred or demolished, could be reinserted in the Marina.
As US attention turned to the Soviets and the Mediterranean Sea it transformed Italian seas in one of the main places of confrontation between the two superpowers, contributing to the re-emergence of Italy’s importance and of its ports thanks to her strategic geographical position.
With the new elections in 1948, the Kingdom of Italy became the Italian Republic, and the Regia Marina (‘’”Royal Navy”’’) took on the name of ''Marina Militare Italiana''. In full Marshall Plan and in a context where Europe was going to be divided in two set against blocks, Italy began to entertain talks with the United States aimed to obtain adequate safety guarantee. The government in Washington, greatly interested to keep its own installations on the peninsula, loosened peace Treaty bonds by inserting the Italian nation into the Mutual Defense Assistance Programme (MDAP).
On 4 April 1949, Italy joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), corroborating her impossibility to contributing actively in the organization: that lead to the definitive repeal of the peace Treaty bonds by the end of 1951, with the consent of all of Western nations.
The Development of the fleet
Within NATO, the Marina Militare was assigned the control of the Adriatic Sea and Strait of Otranto, as well as the defence of the naval routes through the Tyrrhenian Sea. To ensure these tasks was carried out a "''Studio sul potenziamento della Marina italiana in relazione al Patto Atlantico''" (Study about the Development of the Italian navy with reference to the Atlantic Pact) was undertaken, which researched the structures and the methods for the development of the Marina Militare.
This solution required a great economic effort aimed at the rebuilding and transformation of the fleet; it also required aid from the United States to reach the necessary standard. However the program carried on slowly both due to the economic pressures on Italy due to the post-war period rebuilding process and by the obstacles placed by some of European governments who were concerned at seeing an Italian Navy capable of rivalling the Western naval forces.
Present Day Marina Militare
Today's Marina Militare is a modern navy with ships of every type, such as aircraft carriers, destroyers, modern frigates, submarines, amphibious ships and plenty of other smaller ships, including oceanographic research ships.
The fleet is in continuous evolution; the Marina Militare is now equipping herself with a bigger aircraft carrier (the ''Cavour''), new destroyers, submarines and multipurpose frigates.In modern times, the Marina Militare, being a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), has taken part in many coalition peacekeeping operations. The "Marina Militare" is considered the third to fourth strongest navy of the world or equal to the other Great Powers within Europe.[1]
Ships
Currently Active
Aircraft carriers (CVS-ASW)
★ ''Giuseppe Garibaldi'' (551)
★ ''Cavour
Destroyers
★ ''Luigi Durand De la Penne'' (D 560) (formerly ''Animoso'')
★ ''Francesco Mimbelli'' (D 561) (formerly ''Ardimentoso'')
Amphibious transport dock ships
★ ''San Giorgio'' (L 9892)
★ ''San Marco'' (L 9893)
★ ''San Giusto'' (L 9894)
Frigates
★ ''Maestrale'' (F 570)
★ ''Grecale'' (F 571)
★ ''Libeccio'' (F 572)
★ ''Scirocco'' (F 573)
★ ''Aliseo'' (F 574)
★ ''Euro'' (F 575)
★ ''Espero'' (F 576)
★ ''Zeffiro'' (F 577)
''Soldati'' class
★ ''Artigliere'' (F 582)
★ ''Aviere'' (F 583)
★ ''Bersagliere'' (F 584)
★ ''Granatiere'' (F 585)
Corvettes
★ ''Minerva'' (F 551)
★ ''Danaide'' (F 553)
★ ''Urania'' (F 552)
★ ''Sfinge'' (F 554)
''Minerva'' class - 2nd series
★ ''Driade'' (F 555)
★ ''Chimera'' (F 556)
★ ''Fenice'' (F 557)
★ ''Sibilla'' (F 558)
Patrol Ships
★ ''Cassiopea'' (P 401)
★ ''Libra'' (P 402)
★ ''Spica'' (P 403)
★ ''Vega'' (P 404)
''Comandanti'' class (NUMC)
★ ''Comandante Cigala Fulgosi'' (P 490)
★ ''Comandante Borsini'' (P 491)
★ ''Comandante Bettica'' (P 492)
★ ''Comandante Foscari'' (P 493)
''Cassiopea 2'' class (NUPA)
★ ''Sirio'' (P 409)
★ ''Orione'' (P 410)
''Esploratore'' class
★ ''Esploratore'' (P 405)
★ ''Sentinella'' (P 406)
★ ''Vedetta'' (P 407)
★ ''Staffetta'' (P 408)
Mine Warfare Vessels
★ ''Lerici'' (M 5550)
★ ''Sapri'' (M 5551)
★ ''Milazzo'' (M 5552)
★ ''Vieste'' (M 5553)
''Lerici'' class – 2nd series
★ ''Gaeta'' (M 5554)
★ ''Termoli'' (M 5555)
★ ''Alghero'' (M 5556)
★ ''Numana'' (M 5557)
★ ''Crotone'' (M 5558)
★ ''Viareggio'' (M 5559)
★ ''Chioggia'' (M 5560)
★ ''Rimini'' (M 5561)
''Ponza'' class
★ ''Ponza'' (A 5364)
★ ''Levanzo'' (A 5366)
★ ''Tavolata'' (A 5367)
★ ''Palmaria'' (A 5368)
★ ''Procida'' (A 5383)
Submarines★ ''C.te Salvatore Todaro'' (S 526)
★ ''Sciré'' (S 527)
= ''Sauro IV'' class
★ ''Primo Longobardo'' (S 524)
★ ''Gianfranco Gazzana Priaroggia'' (S 525)
''Sauro III'' class
★ ''Salvatore Pelosi'' (S 522)
★ ''Patricio (Pato) Prini'' (S 523)
''Sauro'' class =★ ''Leonardo da Vinci'' (S 520)
Auxiliaries
Squadron Replenishment Ships
★ ''Etna'' (A 5326)
★ ''Stromboli'' (A 5327)
★ ''Vesuvio'' (A 5329)
Gasoline Tankers
★ ''Panarea'' (A 5370)
★ ''Linosa'' (A 5371)
★ ''Favignana'' (A 5372)
★ ''Salina'' (A 5373)
Water Transports
★ ''Ticino'' (A 5376)
★ ''Tirso'' (A 5377)
Vehicle Transport Ships
★ ''Gorgona'' (A 5347)
★ ''Tremiti'' (A 5348)
★ ''Caprera'' (A 5349)
★ ''Pantelleria'' (A 5351)
★ ''Lipari'' (A 5352)
★ ''Capri'' (A 5353)
Weapons Test Ships
★ ''Carabiniere'' ( F 581) (Frigate size)
★ ''Raffaele Rossetti'' (A 5315)
★ ''Vincenzo Martellotta'' (A 5320)
Others
★ ''Anteo'' (A 5309): Submarine Rescue and Salvage Ship
★ ''Elettra'' (A 5340): Electronic Warfare Ship
Training ships
★ ''Palinuro'' (A 5311)
★ ''Amerigo Vespucci'' (A 5312)
''Corsaro'' class
★ ''Stella Polare'' (A 5313)
★ ''Corsaro II'' (A 5316)
Decommissioned Ships
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Submarine ''Evangelista Torricelli'' (S-512), former USS ''Lizardfish'' (SS-373).
★ ''Andrea Doria class cruisers'' (1964 - 1991): 2 vessels
★ ''Vittorio Veneto class cruisers'' (1969 - 2003): 1 vessel
★ ''Audace class destroyers'': 2 vessels
★ ''Lupo class frigates'': 4 vessels
★ Submarines: ''Alfredo Cappellini'' (S-507) ''Evangelista Torricelli'' (S-512), ''Livio Piomarta'' (S-515).
★ Sauro class submarines: ''Sauro'' (S518), ''Di Cossato'' (S519), ''Da Vinci'' (S520), ''Marconi'' (S521)
Under Construction
★ ''Cavour'' aircraft carrier: 1 vessel (''Cavour''), 2008
★ ''Orizzonte'' class AA destroyer: 2 vessels, (''Andrea Doria'' and ''Caio Duilio''), to replace destroyers ''Audace'' and ''Ardito'', 2008 and 2010
★ "Rinascimento (FREMM)" class frigates: 10 vessels, to replace class frigates ''Maestrale'' and ''Lupo''
Planned
★ 20/25 mila tonn LHD or LPD, 2010
★ 2 U212 submarine, 2009/2010
★ 2 improved Etna squadron replenishment ships to replace ''Stromboli'' and ''Vesuvio'', 2009/2010
★ 2 LPD to replace ''San Giorgio'' and ''San Giusto'', 2012/2015
★ 2 AAW vessel to replace ''Durand de La Penne'' and ''Mimbelli'', 2015/2020
★ Second ''Cavour'' aircraft carrier, 2020/2025 to replace "Garibaldi"
Aircraft inventory
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service[2]
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
| AgustaWestland EH101 ||
|| naval helicopter || || 16 ||
|-----
| NH industries NH90 || NATO || naval helicopter || || 0
up to 54 ||
|-----
| Bell 212 || || antisubmarine helicopter || AB 212ASW || 67 ||
|-----
| Boeing AV-8 Harrier ||
|| fighter
trainer || AV-8B
TAV-8B || 15
2 ||
|-----
| Piaggio P180 Avanti || || utility transport || || 3 ||
|-----
| Sikorsky S-61 Sea King || || antisubmarine helicopter || SH-3D || 28 ||
|}
Rank Structure
| '''Ufficiali generali''' - 'General officers' | |||||
 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ''Ammiraglio'' 'Admiral' | |||||
 |  |  | |||
| ''Ammiraglio di Squadra'' 'Squad Admiral' (Vice Admiral) | ''Ammiraglio di Divisione'' 'Division Admiral' (Rear Admiral Upper Half) | ''Contrammiraglio'' 'Rear Admiral' (Rear Admiral Lower Half / Commodore) | |||
| '''Ufficiali superiori''' - 'Senior officers' | |||||
 |  |  | |||
| ''Capitano di vascello'' 'Naval Vessel Captain' (Captain) | ''Capitano di fregata'' 'Frigate Captain' (Commander) | ''Capitano di corvetta'' 'Corvette Captain' (Lieutenant Commander) | |||
| '''Ufficiali inferiori''' - 'Junior officers' | |||||
 |  |  |  | ||
| ''Tenente di vascello'' 'Naval Vessel Lieutenant' (Lieutenant) | ''Sottotenente di vascello'' 'Naval Vessel Sub-lieutenant' (Lieutenant Junior Grade / Sublieutenant) | ''Guardiamarina 'Ensign' | ''Aspirante guardiamarina 'Ensign Apprentice' | ||
| '''Sottufficiali''' - 'Warrant Officers' | |||||
 |  |  | |||
| ''Primo maresciallo luogotenente'' 'First Lieutenant Warrant Officer' | ''Primo maresciallo'' 'First Warrant Officer' | ''Capo di prima classe'' 'First Class Chief' | |||
 |  |  |  | ||
| ''Capo di seconda classe'' 'Second Class Chief' | ''Capo di terza classe'' 'Third Class Chief' | ''Secondo capo'' 'Second Chief' | ''Sergente'' 'Sergeant' | ||
| '''Truppa''' - 'Troops' | |||||
 |  |  | |||
| ''Sottocapo di prima classe scelto'' 'First Class Senior Sub-Chief' Chief Petty Officer | ''Sottocapo di prima classe'' 'First Class Sub-Chief' Petty Officer First Class | ''Sottocapo di seconda classe'' 'Second Class Sub-Chief' Petty Officer Second Class | |||
 |  |  | '''noinsignia''' | ||
| ''Sottocapo di terza classe'' 'Third Class Sub-Chief' Petty Officer Third Class | ''Sottocapo'' 'Sub-Chief' Seaman | ''Comune di prima classe'' 'First Class Seaman' Seaman Apprentice | ''Comune di seconda classe'' 'Second Class Seaman' Seaman Recruit | ||
References
1. http://www.bestandworst.com/rate/s/?id=573347
2. "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, ''Aviation Week & Space Technology'', January 15 2007.
External links
★ Marina Militare homepage
★ Italian Navy from www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk - 10 pages of photos
★ Italian Navy Italian Navy
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psst.. try this: add to faves
