The following is the structure of the Italian Navy as of June 2020. It is considered a multiregional and a blue-water navy.[1]

Chief of the Navy General Staff

Chief of the Navy General Staff Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone

The Chief of the Navy General Staff heads the Navy General Staff in Rome, manages the bureaucratic aspects of the navy, and supervises four major commands.[2][3]

Navy General Staff

The functions of the Navy General Staff are divided in two sections: one under direct control of the Chief of the Navy General Staff, and one under control of the Deputy Chief of the Navy General Staff. The Chief of the Navy General Staff's section is further divided into offices and commands that are part of the Navy General Staff and offices and commands that report to the Chief of the Navy General Staff, but are outside the actual Navy General Staff.[2][3]

Deputy Chief of the Navy General Staff

The Deputy Chief of the Navy General Staff manages the bureaucratic aspects of the Navy.[2][3]

Fleet Command

"Amerigo Vespucci" in Rouen

The Fleet Command is responsible for all operational units of the Italian Navy, with the exception of the Special Forces. Based in the Santa Rosa military district of Rome[4] the command is headed by the Commander in Chief Naval Fleet (Comando in Capo della Squadra Navale or CINCNAV) with the rank of Vice admiral, who reports directly to the Chief of the Navy.[5][6]

1st Naval Division

Destroyer "Caio Duilio" and frigate "Carlo Bergamini" on patrol

The 1st Naval Division (Comando Prima Divisione Navale - COMDINAV UNO) is based in La Spezia and headed by a 1 star admiral or contrammiraglio.[7]

2nd Naval Division

Destroyer "Andrea Doria" underway

The 2nd Naval Division (Comando Secondo Divisione Navale - COMDINAV DUE) is based in Taranto and headed by either a Divisional admiral (ammiraglio di divisione) or a 1 star admiral (contrammiraglio).[8] The division includes the Italian navy's carrier strike group.[8]

3rd Naval Division

"San Marco" underway

The 3rd Naval Division (Comando Terza Divisione Navale - COMDINAV TRE) is based in Brindisi and headed by a Counter admiral or contrammiraglio. The division contains all amphibious units of the Italian Navy and together with the San Marco Marine Brigade and the Italian Army's Cavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli" forms the Italian military's National Sea Projection Capability (Forza di proiezione dal mare).[9]

Submarines Command

Submarine "Salvatore Todaro" in New London, Connecticut

The Submarines Command (Comando Sommergibili della Marina Militare - MARICOSOM) is based in Rome and headed by a Counter admiral or contrammiraglio. The commanding officer of the Submarines Command also heads the Navy General Staff's 5th Department Submarines, and thus is responsible for all submarine assets of the navy, and their procurement, maintenance, development, training, and operational doctrine.[10]

Mine Countermeasures Forces Command

Minehunter "Crotone" in Málaga

The Mine Countermeasures Forces Command (Comando delle Forze di Contromisure Mine - MARICODRAG) in La Spezia is headed by a Counter admiral or contrammiraglio and operates the mine countermeasures forces of the navy.[11]

Coastal Defense and Surveillance Patrol Forces Command

"Comandante Foscari" patrol vessel

The Coastal Defense and Surveillance Patrol Forces Command is based in Augusta and headed by a Counter admiral. After the 2014 reform it has transferred most of its coastal defense duties to the Italian Coast Guard and focuses today on offshore patrols.[13]

Naval Air Forces Command

Italian Navy F-35B Lightning II (right) and AV-8B Harrier II (foreground) alongside an F-18E Super Hornet of the US Navy
Italian Navy SH-101A ASuW/ASW helicopter

The Air Forces Command is headed by a Counter admiral and trains and maintains all the aerial assets of the navy. The commanding officer of the Naval Aviation Command also heads the Navy General Staff's 6th Department Aircraft, and thus is responsible for all air assets of the navy, and their procurement, maintenance, development, training, and operational doctrine.[14][15]

Naval Aircraft Station

Naval Helicopter Station Luni

Naval Helicopter Station Catania

Amphibious Forces Command

The Amphibious Forces Command (Comando della Forza Anfibia - COMFORANF) is based at the Santa Rosa military district in Rome and headed by Counter admiral and controls the Italian military's National Sea Projection Capability (Forza di proiezione dal mare) and the San Marco Marine Brigade. The National Sea Projection Capability consists of the San Marco Marine Brigade, the navy's 3rd Naval Division and the Italian Army's Cavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli". The commanding officer of the Amphibious Forces Command also heads the Navy General Staff's 8th Department Amphibious Forces, and thus is responsible for all amphibious forces of the navy, and their procurement, maintenance, development, training, and operational doctrine.[18]

San Marco Marine Brigade

1st San Marco Regiment

The 1st San Marco Regiment is based in Brindisi and is the amphibious landing force of the Navy.

2nd San Marco Regiment

The 2nd San Marco Regiment is based in Brindisi. The regiment undertakes maritime interdiction operations and provides embarked naval protection teams for military and civilian ships.

3rd San Marco Regiment

The 3rd San Marco Regiment based in Taranto is the navy's installation defense service (Servizio difesa installazioni - SDI), which guards and protects the bases of the navy.

C4 and Security Command

The C4 and Security Command is headed by a Counter admiral and operates the navy signal, communications and radar network.[30]

Air Naval Training Centre

The Air Naval Training Centre is headed by a Counter admiral and based in Taranto. It trains the navy's crews for service with the operational units.[35][36]

Auxiliary Units Flotilla Command

The Auxiliary Units Flotilla Command contains all the minor and coastal support vessels of the navy.

10th Coastal Naval Group

The 10th Naval Coastal Group is the naval component of the United Nations' mission: Multinational Force and Observers, which guards the Egypt-Israeli border in the Sinai peninsula. The 10th Coastal Naval Group is based in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt and patrols the Straits of Tiran and Gulf of Aqaba. The group consists of three Esploratore-class coastal patrol boats, with the fourth boat of the class Staffetta having returned to Italy in 2014 and being homeported as of 2020 at La Maddalena.

Raiders and Divers Grouping "Teseo Tesei"

Main article: Comando Raggruppamento Subacquei e Incursori Teseo Tesei
Submarine rescue ship "Anteo"

The Raiders and Divers Grouping "Teseo Tesei" (Raggruppamento Subacquei ed Incursori "Teseo Tesei" - COMSUBIN) in Porto Venere[40][41] in Liguria is the navy's special forces unit. Headed by a Counter admiral, who reports directly to the Chief of the Navy, the command is operationally assigned to the Italian military's Joint Special Forces Operations Command.[40]

Logistic Command

The Logistic Command is headed by a vice admiral, who reports directly to the Chief of the Navy. Based on Nisida island near Naples the command is responsible for the logistic support of the navy's units, bases and ships, as well as for the maintenance and operation of 157 lighthouses and 667 other navigational aid lights (including seamarks and buoys).[44][45]

Maritime Command Rome

Maritime Command North

Capo Spartivento Lighthouse in Sardinia, which is operated by the Navy

Maritime Command South

Punta del Diavolo Lighthouse in Apulia, which is operated by the Navy

Maritime Command Sicily

Capo Peloro lighthouse in Sicily, which is operated by the Navy

Schools Command

The Schools Command is headed by a vice admiral, who reports directly to the Chief of the Navy. Based in Ancona the command is responsible for the selection, formation, training, and education of the navy's personnel.[44]

Hydrographic Institute

The Hydrographic Institute (Istituto Idrografico della Marina Militare Genova - MARIDROGRAFICO Genova) in Genoa is Italy's national hydrographic, and bathymetric authority. Headed by a counter admiral the institute publishes all official nautical and navigational documentation in Italy and therefore performs regular surveys of the Italian coasts and seas.[47] The institute operates three hydrographic survey vessels: the "Ammiraglio Magnaghi", which will be replaced by a new Major Hydro-oceanographic Ship - NIOM, and the two Ninfe-class hydrographic survey vessels "Aretusa" and "Galatea".[48]

Aviation Inspector for the Navy

P-72A ASW 41-03 of the 41° Stormo AntiSom

The Aviation Inspector for the Navy reports to the Chief of the Air Force General Staff and to the Chief of the Navy General Staff. ISPAVIAMAR oversees the technical and logistic aeronautical aspects, and the training of the Italian military's airborne anti-submarine forces. The inspector is a brigadier general of the air force, whose office and staff reside in the navy's headquarter in Rome. The only unit assigned to ISPAVIAMAR is the 41st Anti-submarine Wing "Athos Ammannato", which is under operational control of the Italian Navy.[2][3][49]

Geographic distribution

Structure of the Italian Navy is located in Italy
La Spezia
P. Venere
Taranto
Brindisi
Augusta
Messina
Maddalena
Venice
Genoa
Naples
Ancona
Rome
Cagliari
Livorno
Grottaglie
Catania
Luni
Luni
Pratica di Mare
Tavolara
Structure of the Italian Navy
Castellana Rocchetta
Castellana
Rocchetta
Vieste
Vasto
Santa Panagia
Palombara
Palombara
Pantelleria
Gaeta
Capo Spartivento
Portopalo
Capo Ponente
Punta Sottile
Capo Santa Maria di Leuca
Sant'Andrea di Missipezza
Capo Rizzuto
Capo Carbonara
Italian Navy main bases 2020:
Fleet bases Naval aviation bases Other bases Radar stations Signal stations

References

  1. ^ Todd, Daniel; Lindberg, Michael (May 14, 1996). Navies and Shipbuilding Industries: The Strained Symbiosis. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780275953102. Retrieved May 14, 2018 – via Google Books.
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  12. ^ "MARICENDRAG". Marina Militare. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
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