Italian Navy. Ensuring the landing and operations of amphibious assault forces

Italian Navy

The general leadership of the naval forces is entrusted to the chief of the general staff of the armed forces, direct - to the chief
the main headquarters of the Navy, which actually performs the functions of the commander. Through his headquarters, he manages the commands of the fleet, aviation
Navy, combat swimmers and saboteurs, as well as the forces of 4 naval districts and 2 nuclear commands.
The main headquarters of the Navy (Rome) is the main governing body and is engaged in the development of plans for the construction, mobilization deployment,
combat use, combat training, as well as the improvement of the organizational and staff structure. In addition, the headquarters organizes reconnaissance and
counterintelligence, manages the recruitment, training, indoctrination of personnel.
Organizationally, the Navy includes:
·fleet
aviation squadrons
forces of four naval districts
forces of two island VM command
command of combat swimmers
command of saboteurs "Teseo Tezei".
The combat strength of the fleet includes three NK divisions and three brigades (submarines, corvettes, mine-sweeping forces). The Fleet Commander (headquarters in Taranto) is
part-time commander of the joint NATO naval forces in the central region of the Mediterranean Sea.
On issues of operational use in combat training, naval aviation is subordinate to the main headquarters of the naval forces, and logistics
organize and conduct the relevant structures of the Air Force. It includes a fighter-attack aviation squadron, two wings of the base
patrol aviation and five separate squadrons of anti-submarine helicopters.
The coast of the continental part of Italy and the island with the adjacent water area is divided into 4 VM districts:
Upper Tyrrhenian
Lower Tyrrhenian Ionian
Adriatic and 2 nuclear naval commands:
·about. Sicily
·about. Sardinia
The commanders of the districts and island commands report directly to the Chief of the Main Naval Staff.
The commanders of the military forces of the district are responsible for organizing the defense of the military forces of bases, ports and coasts, maintaining a favorable operational regime in
coastal waters of the district, organizing the logistics of ships. In his subordination are VM bases, communication centers, subdivisions
supply, supply depots, repair shops, educational establishments, hospitals located in the area of ​​responsibility.
The total number of personnel of the Italian Navy reaches 45,000 people: 44,200 in the navy (including 2,600 in naval aviation) and 800 in the marines.
The naval structure of the fleet (regular forces) includes 61 warships and 60 boats. The most modern are light aircraft carrier
"Giuseppe Garibaldi", most of the submarines, frigates and corvettes.
Aviation of the Navy is subdivided into aircraft carrier and base aviation.
The command of combat swimmers and saboteurs consists of a detachment of combat swimmers and saboteurs and a group of support ships.
The Marine Corps is represented by the San Marco Marine Battalion, which is stationed in Brindisia and is part of the 3rd Division
fleet.
Ship composition of the Italian Navy
Ship class, boat
Quantity
Diesel submarines
8
Aircraft carriers
1
Cruisers
1
Destroyers
4
Frigates
18
Corvettes and patrol ships
13
Tank landing ships, boats
3
minesweepers
13
Patrol combat boats
7
Missile combat boats
6



Development concept

Depending on the conditions of the emerging military-political situation, priority is given to solving one or another strategic objective. In peacetime - presence and control over the situation in significant regions for Italy, in the event of international tension and during crises - protecting national interests and interacting with international organizations, at the outbreak of a large-scale war - ensuring national defense and operations as part of the Allied Forces of the North Atlantic Alliance .

Nearly 50 percent of the Marina Militare, including the majority of surface and submarine combatants, minesweepers, support vessels, aircraft and amphibious forces, is ready to join NATO's rapid reaction force.

The "defense model" provides for the orientation of the operational activities of the Italian Navy towards joint actions with other branches of the armed forces of the republic and its allies. According to the command of the Marina Militare, for this it is necessary to have a specially equipped command and control headquarters for the joint operational unit (JFO), which will require appropriate financial costs.

Taking into account the experience of participation in multinational operations, the following main provisions of the national maritime strategy were determined: advancement to crisis areas, autonomy of the allocated forces, comprehensive consideration of the characteristics of the regions (including the state of the economy, environment, culture and traditions of the local population), emphasis on high-tech weapons and improving the system of education and training of naval personnel.

Combat operations will be conducted in coastal areas in close proximity to crisis regions and far from home bases, which implies the use of forces in a limited space, conditions the use of weapons, communications and surveillance systems in extremely difficult conditions, when naval information combat systems are of key importance. The decisive role will be played by ships capable of operating on far away from places of permanent deployment and engage in reconnaissance, collection and distribution of information.

Implementation high technology involves changing relations with industry, attracting a large number subcontractors and cooperation with other countries, for example, the implementation of joint programs for the development of a non-nuclear submarine (NAPL) of project 212A, a frigate (FR) FREMM and an EH-101 helicopter.

According to the aforementioned "Model of Defense", the future structure of the Italian Navy assumes the presence of a "core" or first-echelon forces, numbering 18 warships, including two light aircraft carriers (AVL), included in the operational formation, the composition of which will depend on the tasks. The second echelon should consist of corvettes and patrol ships (KRV-PK), as well as logistic support forces, will be called upon to support the first.

Shipbuilding program

The plans of the Italian Navy have not undergone significant changes for last years and meet the military and political aspirations of official Rome. In Italy, the construction of the fleet is cyclical, and Marina Militare, with a relatively small number ship's composition can afford to implement such a method.

The dynamics of changes in the combat composition of the Italian Navy

Ship class	Quantity for 2012	Planned quantity by 2016
Non-nuclear submarines (NAPL)	6	8
Light aircraft carriers (AVL)	2	2
Landing ships (DK)	3	3-4
Destroyers (EM), frigates (FR), corvettes and patrol ships (KRV-PK)	34	20-24
Mine-sweeping forces (MTS)	12	6
Total	57	39-44

By analogy with France, the HORIZON-class destroyer (DE) construction program was completed in 2009 with the production of only two units due to financial problems. Currently, the construction of frigates under the FREMM program is underway and the implementation of the project 212A NNS program continues. There is every reason to believe that FREMM may also fail because of the high cost. In terms of displacement, saturation with weapons and weapons, the ships created under this project are not much different from the HORIZON EM program.

submarine force

NAP. Currently, the Italian Navy has six non-nuclear submarines (two Project 212A and four Project 1081M). The most modern are Project 212A nuclear submarines, the construction of which began in 2001 at the Muggiano shipyard. The lead submarine Salvatore Todaro was commissioned to the Navy back in 2006.

Experts believed that the start of construction of German-designed nuclear submarines in Italy would symbolize the end of the development of national submarine shipbuilding. However, we must not forget that even in the process of working on the 212A project, the Italians were involved in it in 1995 to provide financial and technical assistance. Therefore, by and large, Project 212A boats are German-Italian, although Italy's share is not very large. At the same time, by taking part in this program, she gained access to the most advanced NNS technologies, which can be successfully applied both in other areas of military shipbuilding and in technology in general. The construction of boats of this project will probably not be limited to four units, which is confirmed by long-term plans. There is information about the order in the near future of the fifth submarine. After 2010, it was planned to constantly maintain the number of nuclear submarines in the Marina Militare at the level of six to eight ships.

Shipbuilding program of the Italian Navy at the beginning of 2012

SMPL. Italy is the only country in the world that systematically builds midget submarines (SMPLs) and submersible propulsion vehicles (SPDs). With some interruptions, it has been conducted since the 20s of the last century. Since 1955, the construction of SX-type SMPLs (SX404, SX506, SX756) and SPD has been carried out by Costruzione Mottoscafi Sottomarini (COSMOS) in Livorno. In 2002, she handed over to the Navy of various states over 100 SMPLs and over 200 SPTs.

Experts recognized the MG110 / 120 type submarine as the most advanced ultra-small submarine - a further development of the SX756 type SMPL. Its main task is the delivery of groups of reconnaissance saboteurs (up to eight people) with the means of landing to the area of ​​the combat mission. The MG110 submarine is equipped with a conventional diesel engine, and the MG120 / ER submarine is equipped with a diesel engine + VNEU, which includes a closed cycle diesel plant (DUZTS) using liquid oxygen as an oxidizer, as well as a 40 kilowatt electric motor. The cruising range when using an electric motor is 80 miles, when operating the DUZTS it reaches 320 miles (at a speed of 3.5 knots) and 2000 miles (at seven knots) using an RDP device. The highest speed in a submerged position is ten knots, the working depth of immersion is 150 meters, autonomy is up to 20 days.

Since the serial sample of the electrochemical generator (ECG) on the 212A project showed high efficiency and secrecy compared to the DUZTS, their use on the Italian projects SMPL is quite possible.

COSMOS does not advertise its business too much, especially in light of the fact that its specialists are probably helping to create SMPL and SPD in a number of not very "democratic" countries. It is authentically known that submarines of the SX756 type were delivered to Colombia (two units), of the MG110 / 120 type - to Pakistan (three) and to South Korea(nine). Negotiations were underway on the sale of SMPL with Malaysia and some other states. The ideas and many technological solutions found by the Livorne company were used to develop their own ultra-small submarines by Yugoslavia, Iran and North Korea. Therefore, the real volumes and nomenclature of exports by COSMOS (or another company through which it is officially carried out) are not known for certain.

carrier force

The Italian fleet has two AVLs (Conte De Cavour and Giuseppe Garibaldi). On the way to creating an aircraft carrier force, the Italian Navy overcame the resistance of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic for a long time. Initially, the plan to build an aircraft carrier was disguised as the concept of developing an aircraft carrier cruiser (AVK) Giuseppe Garibaldi with a variety of weapons, including anti-ship missiles (ASMs), which were removed from the ship at the beginning of 2005.

With the second AVL, things were even more complicated. At first, it was supposed to build a universal landing ship (UDC), since studies carried out in the 90s of the last century showed that it is permissible to have a second AVL with UDC functions (the UDC-AVL concept), that is, it also performs staff and landing tasks. However, at the last stages of the development of the project, it was possible to abandon the docking chamber and landing boats (DVKA), transforming the promising ship into a light aircraft carrier-amphibious assault helicopter carrier (AVL-DVN), which provided helicopter landing and unloading of armored vehicles (ABT) on the pier or to DVKA via a pontoon.

It was thanks to the original fictitious purpose of the new ship as a UDC that the displacement of the new aircraft carrier was doubled. Its construction began in July 2001. AVL has been renamed several times: the first name is Luigi Einaudi, since 2002 - Andrea Doria, since 2003 - Conte di Cavour, more recently - Cavour.

The aircraft carrier was commissioned into the Navy in 2009, but some equipment and part of the artillery weapons were not on it at the beginning of 2012 either. From the point of view of shipbuilding technology, this is the first universal assault landing ship. In the future, the AVL is supposed to be based on multi-role fighters (MTS) F-35. The construction of another light aircraft carrier is possible only to replace the Giuseppe Garibaldi AVL, the timing of the withdrawal of which from the combat strength of the Navy has not yet been determined.

Amphibious forces

DK. The basis of the landing forces of Marina Militare are three landing helicopter-carrying dock ships (DVKD) of the San Giorgio type. The last of them was transferred to the fleet in 1994. The Italian DVKD does not have a hangar, which distinguishes them from their foreign counterparts. However, given the zone of activity of ships - mainly the Mediterranean Sea, this is not considered a big drawback. According to some reports, two modernized DVKDs, which have a solid flight deck and a closed nose, were able to place light helicopters on the deck for ABT, which practically made them mini-UDK.

DKA. There are 13 LCM-type landing craft and 17 LCVP-type landing craft in service. There are no plans to build new DKA yet.

Multi-purpose forces

EM. As of early 2012, the Italian Navy had two Luigi Durand de la Penne-class destroyers and two Andrea Doria-class destroyers (the HORIZON program has been completed). Second and last ship the second type became part of the Marina Militare in 2009. Unlike France, Italy for some time planned the construction of two more EMs of this type, but later abandoned these intentions.

FR. The Italian Navy currently has eight Maestrale-class frigates and four Artigliere-class frigates. Currently, the FREMM program is building two and plans to build eight more ships of this class: half - in the shock version, half - in the PLO version. The initial amount of the contract is 4.5 billion euros. Italian frigates may turn out to be somewhat cheaper than French ones, since the weapons of the former are based on proven systems implemented on the HORIZON EM program and on the Cavour AVL. Experts do not rule out that this case, as in France, due to rising prices, the program may be curtailed.

In technical terms, the Italian FR of the FREMM program are a reduced copy of the HORIZON EM program, but are equipped with a new power plant - a diesel-gas turbine electric unit (DGTEU), similar to the one on the frigate of project 23 of the British Navy.

KRV. Marina Militare has eight corvettes (KRV) of the Minerva type built in 1987-1991. They no longer plan to deploy anti-ship missiles, as it was before. Moreover, anti-aircraft missile systems and torpedo tubes (TA) were dismantled on four ships, which actually turned the KRV into patrol ships (PC). The interest of the Italian Navy in corvettes has clearly decreased and there are no plans to build them.

Patrol Force

PC. Marina Militare has ten patrol ships: six Commandante Cigala Fulgosi and four Cassiopea. According to experts, a PC like Commandante Cigala Fulgosi is good example to create multifunctional ships in order to solve limited combat missions in the Mediterranean Sea or in another closed area.

PCA. The once-famous Italian "mosquito fleet" has been reduced to four Esploratore-class patrol boats (PKA), and there are no new plans for the development of this class of combat units.

Mine-sweeping forces

The Italian Navy has 12 base minesweepers (BTSH): four Lerici types, eight Gaeta types (improved Lerici type). It was the first BTShchs that were those units of the fleet that pushed Italy to the forefront in the world in terms of mine defense ships (PMO). They were built in two series: the Lerici M-5550-5553 type (first) and the Gaeta M-5554-5561 type (second). The second series is distinguished by a large displacement, slightly improved weapons and equipment. Even the United States bought Italian technology and built a series of similar Osprey-type battleships for its Navy (today everything is in reserve).

The ship's hull, decks and bulkheads, made of fiberglass reinforced plastic, have high impact resistance and low magnetic field. Unlike other TShch, the body is made in the form of a monoblock, relatively thick fiberglass shell without a set. This design turned out to be very technologically advanced and adapted for large-scale construction.

As a power plant on the ship, a single-shaft remote control with an auxiliary power plant (APU) of three retractable propulsion-steering columns (VRDC) was used for the mine search mode and holding in place. When detecting mines and maneuvering in a minefield, an airborne missile system with a hydraulic engine is used, which ensures the movement of the ship at a speed of up to seven knots. The power of each VDC is 180 horsepower. To drive hydraulic motors, there are two independent systems (one in operation, the second in reserve) consisting of two low-noise 6-cylinder diesel engines (DD) of 450 horsepower each, located in separate soundproof compartments.

For the first time in world practice, anti-mine weapons were represented by two uninhabited underwater vehicles (UUVs) MIN-77 and Pluto. In addition, the ship has a decompression chamber for two people and rooms for seven demolition divers. Some standard trawls have been preserved on the TSC.

Now, in the Italian PMO, priority is given to the creation of new anti-mine NPA and anti-mine sonar stations (GAS) capable of detecting mines at depths of ten to three hundred meters, as well as equipping minesweepers - minesweepers (TSCHIM) and other combat surface ships (BNK) with them. There are currently no plans to build new PMO ships.

Production potential

Italy has one of the most powerful and modern shipbuilding production bases in Europe. Italian shipbuilders have accumulated sufficient experience that allows them to build any modern ships and vessels, with the exception of those equipped with nuclear power plants (NPPs). The country is fully provided with all the necessary components of its own production. Many units and samples of weapons and military equipment are produced under license, in particular gas turbines, certain types of rocket and mine-torpedo weapons, and almost all radio-technical weapons.

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As a result of the defeat of the Nazi coalition in World War II, it lost almost its entire navy. Under the Peace Treaty, she was forbidden to own and build submarines, and the total tonnage of naval warships was not to exceed 67,500 tons. However, after Italy joined the aggressive bloc in 1949, in violation of the articles of the Peace Treaty, the country's ruling circles, with support, began to restore and active construction of their Navy.

At present, as reported in the foreign press, the Italian Navy has over 120 warships (their tonnage far exceeds the above-mentioned restrictions), about 130 auxiliary vessels (total displacement 75,000 tons) and up to 100 anti-submarine aircraft and helicopters. The number of personnel of the Navy is 45 thousand people.

The Italian Navy consists of the Navy, Navy Aviation and Marine Corps. The fleet includes a squadron, minesweepers and auxiliary vessels. Squadron uniting all warships main classes, organizationally consists of divisions of surface ships and groups of submarines, as well as a mobile rear. In addition, there is a detachment of training ships, a division of torpedo boats and coastal groups of boats, which, depending on the situation, are attached to divisions of ships. Minesweeping forces include all minesweepers and are subdivided into minesweeping groups assigned to individual naval districts. Naval aviation has about 30 anti-submarine aircraft, up to 20 aircraft and about 50 anti-submarine helicopters and AB-204Bs. Aircraft of naval aviation are consolidated into three air groups and are under the operational control of the command of the Navy. Most of the AB-204B anti-submarine helicopters are used from ships. The marines are represented by a battalion and several sabotage and reconnaissance units.

The basis of the Italian fleet is a cruiser, two frigates and four destroyers equipped with American missile systems, and, as well as destroyers (four units) and patrol ships(23). Almost all of them were built recently and equipped with modern artillery and mine-torpedo weapons, as well as relatively new radar and sonar stations. Most of them are armed with anti-submarine helicopters. According to the Italian press, the new ships are equipped with systems for automatic remote control of mechanisms and are adapted for combat operations in the conditions of the use of nuclear weapons.

In addition, the fleet includes 11 submarines, four naval, 36 basic and 20 raid minesweepers, eight torpedo boats, three landing transports and two tank landing ships, boats with interchangeable weapons and a hydrofoil missile boat.

The ten-year program for the development of the Italian Navy, adopted in December 1974, provides for the construction of four URO patrol ships (total displacement 2500 tons), two Sauro-class submarines and four hydrofoil missile boats (displacement 220 tons), re-equipment of ten minesweepers into minesweepers - mine seekers, as well as equipping some ships with rocket weapons and modern electronic equipment. 1,000 billion liras have been allocated for these purposes.

The command of the Italian Navy during the combat training of the fleet pays great attention to the issues of anti-submarine and air defense of formations of ships at sea, trawling and landing of amphibious assault forces, as well as the protection of sea lanes, especially in the coastal zone. These issues are constantly worked out in almost all exercises conducted both according to national plans and through NATO.

The military-political leadership of the aggressive NATO bloc assigns a special place to Italy in its military preparations, figuratively calling it a giant "aircraft carrier" or "a bridge thrown over the Mediterranean Sea." At the same time, it takes into account the location of Italy in the strategically important area of ​​​​the South European theater of operations, which allows its fleet to control sea lanes connecting the European countries of the North Atlantic bloc with the states of the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia, which have huge reserves of oil and other types of strategic raw materials. And the receipt of these raw materials from these countries, especially oil, according to Western military experts, will have a significant impact on the conduct of military operations in the European theater of war. In addition, the superiority in forces in the Mediterranean Sea, according to the NATO command, creates favorable conditions for striking the flank of the Armed Forces of the Warsaw Pact countries, and also makes it possible to control the sea lanes leading from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.

All this is taken into account by the block command when determining the place and role of the Italian Navy in general plans use of the joint armed forces of NATO on .

According to the NATO command, Italy currently has a naval force, which, in terms of its combat strength, ranks fourth among the navies of the capitalist countries (after the USA, Great Britain and France). They are considered an important component of the united armed forces of the bloc in the aforementioned theater. The role and importance of the Italian Navy increased especially after France's withdrawal from the NATO military organization. Before that, as reported in the foreign press, the Italian Navy in the block system was responsible for the security of only the central part of the Mediterranean Sea, and after the withdrawal of the French Navy from NATO control, the maritime area of ​​​​responsibility of the Italian fleet extended to its western part.

The military-political leadership of the North Atlantic bloc, as part of military preparations, created a special command of the NATO combined naval forces in the South European theater of operations, the main purpose of which is to exercise operational control of the naval forces of the bloc countries in case of war and coordinate them fighting in certain areas of the Mediterranean basin.

The combined NATO navies in the theater include the navies of Italy, Greece and Turkey, as well as British ships, American diesel submarines and basic patrol aircraft located in the Mediterranean. All these forces and means in peacetime are subordinate to the national commands. Their transfer to the operational subordination of the block command is planned only with the outbreak of war, when a state of emergency is declared or during the period of joint naval exercises. The combined NATO navies in the theater are headed by an Italian admiral, who is responsible for developing plans for their use, supervises the combat and operational training of the navies of Italy, Greece and Turkey, organizes and conducts exercises with the participation of the combined navies.

As reported in the foreign press, the united navies of the bloc are entrusted with the following tasks: ensuring and supporting combat operations of strike navies, combating enemy submarines and surface ships, blockade of the Black Sea straits in order to prevent the exit of enemy ships from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, support for ground forces on coastal directions, ensuring the landing and operations of amphibious assault forces, protecting sea lanes.

All these tasks are constantly practiced in exercises and maneuvers, which are held annually not only according to the plans for operational and combat training of the joint naval forces, but also of the joint NATO armed forces in the South European theater of operations. Judging by the reports of the foreign press, the degree of participation of the Italian Navy in the development and solution of the listed tasks is as follows.

Provision and support of shock naval forces

As is known, the NATO strike naval forces in the South European theater of operations include the US 6th Fleet, which has been permanently located in the Mediterranean since 1948. In peacetime, he is subordinate to the Pentagon. In case of war or for the period of major exercises involving all types of armed forces, the 6th Fleet will be transferred to the operational subordination of the NATO Commander-in-Chief in the South European theater of operations. In the event of a crisis, the Italian URO ships (a cruiser, two frigates and four destroyers) are planned to be assigned to the NATO strike navies to reinforce the 60th task force of the 6th fleet. This, according to the NATO command, will provide significant support to the strike formation before the arrival of other ships of the US fleet from naval bases located on US soil.

It was reported in the foreign press that the task of the 60th task force included: delivering strikes with both conventional and nuclear weapons against land and sea targets; providing direct support to ground forces operating in the coastal direction and amphibious assault forces during their landing and combat operations on the coast. To work out these tasks together with the ships of the NMS of Italy and other NATO countries in the Mediterranean, more than half of the time allotted annually for combat training of the 6th Fleet is spent, which, according to American military experts, ensures high mobility and constant combat readiness of the combined navies to conduct limited wars. Supporting actions, depending on the prevailing situation, include measures for anti-submarine, anti-aircraft and anti-mine defense in the maritime area of ​​responsibility of the Italian fleet, carried out by specially dedicated naval forces.

Fight against enemy submarines and surface ships

According to the views of the NATO command, the success of solving the main tasks of the naval forces in the theater of operations will largely depend on the effectiveness of the fight against the enemy's submarine fleet. The submarine threat is now considered the main obstacle to NATO naval dominance in a future war. Therefore, the training of anti-submarine missions prevails over other types of combat training of the combined navies in the theater. To this end, special bilateral exercises of the Medasweks type are held annually, as well as exercises and maneuvers of various types in terms of the composition of the involved forces and means.

Recently, the exercises have begun to pay more attention than before to the fight against surface ships. This is connected, as foreign press reports testify, with the entry into the Mediterranean of the Soviet Navy, which became an obstacle to the implementation of the aggressive plans of NATO strategists in this area.

Blockade actions in the zone of the Black Sea straits and measures for the antiamphibious defense of their coast, according to the naval specialists of the NATO countries, should be carried out by specially created shock groups from large ships of the joint navies, as well as detachments of mine and net minelayers of the navies of coastal states. It is envisaged to set up net and minefields on approaches to naval bases, ports, the strait zone and landing-accessible areas of the coast in advance, that is, before the emergence of an immediate threat of armed conflict.

Ground forces support

Support for ground forces operating in the coastal areas of the South European theater of operations is practiced at large annual exercises of the type conducted by the combined armed forces in the theater. As a rule, a large number of ships of the US 6th Fleet, the British Navy, Italy, Greece and Turkey are involved in such exercises. When solving the tasks of providing support to ground forces in the offensive, as well as in the antiamphibious defense of their coast, the command of the joint NATO naval forces in the South European theater of operations will attach paramount importance to ships with missile and artillery weapons. Judging by reports in the foreign press, during the exercises, this command formed strike groups, the basis of which were Italian URO ships.

Ensuring the landing and operations of amphibious assault forces

Amphibious operations occupy a significant place in the plans for operational and combat training of the fleets of NATO countries. In almost all major exercises of the united armed forces of the bloc in the South European theater of operations, a battalion of marines of the Italian Navy, together with units of the US and British marines, is constantly participating as a tactical landing. Destroyers and patrol ships are involved in guarding the landing at sea crossings, and auxiliary ships are involved in delivering the landing to the landing site and logistical support for its operations on the coast.

Protection of sea lanes

The successful conduct of the war makes the NATO command directly dependent on the reliable provision of sea communications. The great length of communication routes in the Mediterranean makes it necessary to have a significant number of various forces and means for their protection. It is believed that in a future war, the transportation of troops, weapons, military equipment and other military supplies by sea may increase in comparison with the same transportation during the Second World War.

To ensure maritime transport in the Mediterranean world, it is planned to attract most of the Italian destroyers and patrol ships. As reported in the foreign press, all merchant ships of the NATO countries, when passing there in wartime, will be reduced to convoys, the provision of escort of which in the western and central parts of the Mediterranean Sea will be entrusted to the Italian Navy. But if and takes part in hostilities, then the Italian fleet will be responsible only for escorting convoys in the central part of the sea. At the same time, the minesweeping forces of the Italian Navy are intended to select and ensure safe routes at sea and approaches to Italian ports.

In accordance with the plans of the NATO command, anti-submarine aircraft of the Italian naval aviation will be part of the joint NATO air patrol forces in the Mediterranean.

At present, judging by reports in the foreign press, the command of the joint armed forces of NATO in the South European theater of operations is studying the possibility of redistributing the forces available in NATO in the Mediterranean, which is caused by the recent statement by the Greek government about the withdrawal of Greece from the military organization of the bloc, as well as some reduction in the number British Navy in the area. All this, as some foreign experts believe, may entail a new increase in the maritime area of ​​​​responsibility of the Italian fleet, which will be approximately 3/4 of the Mediterranean Sea basin, as well as the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Seas.

The Italian Navy is considered modern and highly combat-ready, but, according to some naval experts, they are still not able to effectively control and maintain maritime communications in the Mediterranean. Since the strike forces of the NATO Navy (US 6th Fleet) in the event of an armed conflict are expected to be used to support the combined ground forces in the theater of operations, it is considered expedient to strengthen the Italian Navy to attract destroyers and patrol ships of the English fleet, whose arrival is planned from the metropolis. To strengthen the southern flank of the bloc, the command proposes, on the basis of the NATO naval formation for “on call” operations that has existed since May 1970 (one ship each from the US, British, Italian, Greek and Turkish navies), to create a permanent formation of NATO naval forces in the Mediterranean Sea, similar to a permanent NATO naval force in the Atlantic.

According to the Italian press, the Italian government is studying the deployment on its territory of those American military bases that can be liquidated in Greece. As you know, the United States has already reached an agreement on the equipment and use of the Maddalena naval base, and at present (after Greece announced its withdrawal from the NATO military organization), the bloc’s command has already begun to implement plans for “compensation” by restoring abandoned military installations from the Second World War wars on the Italian islands in the Mediterranean. In particular, such work under the supervision of Pentagon specialists began on about. Pantelleria.

Thus, in the general system of preparing NATO for war, the leadership of this bloc considers the Italian Navy as a significant force in the South European theater of operations and assigns them an important role in controlling the sea routes of communication in the Mediterranean basin. In turn, the militarist circles of Italy are taking all measures to further strengthen the positions of the aggressive bloc of imperialism in this strategically important region of the world.

Laughter, as you know, prolongs life, and when it comes to Regia Marina Italiana, life is doubly extended.

An explosive mixture of Italian love of life, negligence and slovenliness can turn any useful undertaking into a farce. There are legends about the Royal Italian Navy: during the war years, Italian sailors achieved a fantastic result - the loss of the fleet exceeded the payroll of the Italian Navy! Almost every Italian ship perished / sank / was captured during its service twice, and sometimes three times.

There is no other ship in the world like the Italian battleship Conte di Cavour. For the first time, the formidable battleship was sunk at its anchorage on November 12, 1940, during a British air raid on the Taranto naval base. "Cavour" was raised from the bottom and stood for the entire war under repair, until it was flooded by its own crew in September 1943 under the threat of capture by German troops. A year later, the Germans raised the battleship, but at the end of the war, Cavour was again destroyed by Allied aircraft.

The mentioned attack on the naval base of Taranto became a textbook example of Italian punctuality, accuracy and diligence. The pogrom in Taranto, perpetrated by British pilots, is comparable in scale to Pearl Harbor, but it took the British twenty times less effort than the Japanese hawks to attack the American base in Hawaii.

The add-ons of the battleship "Conte di Cavour" plaintively look at us from the water

20 Swordfish plywood biplanes smashed the main base of the Italian fleet to shreds in one night, sinking three battleships right at the anchorages. For comparison, in order to "get" the German "Tirpitz", hiding in the polar Altenfjord, British aviation had to make about 700 sorties (not counting sabotage using mini-submarines).

The reason for the deafening defeat in Taranto is elementary - the hardworking and responsible Italian admirals, for unclear reasons, did not pull the anti-torpedo net properly. For which they paid.

Other incredible adventures of pasta Italian sailors look no less bad:

The submarine "Ondina" fell in an unequal struggle with the South African trawlers Protea and Southern Maid (battle off the coast of Lebanon, July 11, 1942);

The destroyer "Sebenico" was boarded by the crew of a German torpedo boat right in the port of Venice on September 11, 1943 - immediately after the surrender of Nazi Italy. Former allies the Italians were thrown overboard, the destroyer was taken away and, having renamed the Sebenico into TA-43, they used it to guard the Mediterranean convoys until the spring of 1945.

The Italian submarine "Leonardo da Vinci" failed off the coast of Africa, a high-speed 21,000-ton liner "Empress of Canada". There were 1,800 people on board the liner (400 died) - half of whom, ironically, were Italian prisoners of war.
(however, the Italians are not alone here - similar situations occurred regularly during the Second World War)

etc.

Italian destroyer "Dardo" meets the end of the war

It is no coincidence that the British are of the opinion: "Italians build ships much better than they know how to fight on them."

And the Italians really knew how to build ships - the Italian school of shipbuilding has always been distinguished by noble swift lines, record speeds and the incomprehensible beauty and grace of surface ships.

The fantastic battleships of the Littorio class are among the finest pre-war battleships. Heavy cruisers of the "Zara" type - an ingenious calculation, where all the advantages from a profitable geographical location Italy in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea (to hell with seaworthiness and autonomy - the native coast is always close). As a result, the Italians managed to embody the optimal combination of security / fire / mobility in the Zar design, with an emphasis on heavy armor. The best cruisers"Washington" period.

And how can one not remember here the Black Sea leader "Tashkent", also built at the shipyards of Livorno! Full speed 43.5 knots, and in general, the ship turned out to be excellent.

Battleships of the "Littorio" type firing at the ships of the British squadron (battle at Cape Spartivento, 1940)
The Italians hit the Berwick cruiser, seriously damaging the latter.

Alas, despite the advanced technical equipment, the Regia Marina, once the most powerful of the fleets in the Mediterranean, mediocrely lost all the battles and turned into a laughingstock. But was it really so?

Slandered Heroes

The British can joke all they want, but the fact remains that in the battles in the Mediterranean, Her Majesty's fleet lost 137 ships of the main classes and 41 submarines. Another 111 surface combat units were lost by the allies of Great Britain. Of course, half of them were sunk by German aircraft and submariners of the Kriegsmarine - but even the remaining part is enough to forever record the Italian "sea wolves" in the pantheon of great naval warriors.

Among the trophies of the Italians -

Battleships of Her Majesty "Valient" and "Queen Elizabeth" (undermined by Italian combat swimmers on the road of Alexandria). The British themselves classify these losses as constructive total loss. Speaking in Russian, the ship is turned into a battered pile of metal with negative buoyancy.
Damaged battleships, one after another, fell to the bottom of the Alexandria Bay and knocked out of action for a year and a half.

Heavy cruiser York: sunk by Italian saboteurs using high-speed boats loaded with explosives.

Light cruisers Calypso, Cairo, Manchester, Neptune, Bonaventure.

Dozens of submarines and destroyers under the flags of Great Britain, Holland, Greece, Yugoslavia, Free France, the USA and Canada.

For comparison, during the war years, the Soviet Navy did not sink a single enemy ship larger than a destroyer (by no means a reproach to Russian sailors - a different geography, conditions and nature of the theater of operations). But the fact remains that the Italian sailors have dozens of bright naval victories. So do we have the right to laugh at the achievements, exploits and inevitable mistakes of "pasta"?

Battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth on the roads of Alexandria

Submariners brought no less glory to Regia Marina - such aces as Gianfranco Gazzana Priorogia (sank 11 transports with a total weight of 90,000 tons) or Carlo Fecia di Cossato (16 trophies). In total, a galaxy of the ten best Italian aces of submarine warfare sank over a hundred Allied ships and vessels with a total displacement of 400,000 tons!

Ace submariner Carlo Fezia di Cossato (1908 - 1944)

During the years of World War II, Italian ships of the main classes made 43,207 exits to the sea, leaving 11 million fiery miles behind. The sailors of the Italian Navy have escorted countless convoys in the Mediterranean theater - according to official figures, Italian sailors have organized the delivery of 1.1 million troops and more than 4 million tons of various cargoes to North Africa, the Balkans and islands in the Mediterranean Sea. The return route was carrying precious oil. Often, cargo and personnel were placed directly on the decks of warships.

The statistics say: transport ships under the cover of the Regia Marina delivered 28,266 Italian and 32,299 German trucks and tanks to the African continent. In addition, in the spring of 1941, 15,951 pieces of equipment and 87,000 pack animals were transported along the route Italy - the Balkans.

In total, during the period of hostilities, the warships of the Italian Navy put up 54,457 mines on communications in the Mediterranean Sea. The Regia Marina Maritime Patrol Aircraft flew 31,107 sorties, spending 125,000 hours in the air.

The Italian cruisers Duca d'Aosta and Eugenio di Savoia lay a minefield off the coast of Libya. A few months later, a British strike formation would be blown up on exposed mines. The cruiser "Neptune" and the destroyer "Kandahar" will go to the bottom

How do all these figures fit in with the ridiculous image of crooked-armed loafers, doing nothing but chewing their spaghetti?

The Italians have long been great sailors (Marco Polo), and it would be too naive to believe that during the Second World War they just threw out the “white flag”. The Italian Navy took part in battles around the world - from the Black Sea to the Indian Ocean. And high-speed Italian boats were noted even in the Baltic and on Lake Ladoga. In addition, Regia Marina ships operated in the Red Sea, off the coast of China, and, of course, in the cold expanses of the Atlantic.

The Italians beat Her Majesty's fleet great - just one mention of the "black prince" Valerio Borghese confused the entire British Admiralty.

Bandito diversanto

“... Italians, in a certain sense, are much smaller soldiers, but much bigger bandits” / M. Weller/
Faithful to the traditions of the legendary "Sicilian mafia", Italian sailors turned out to be unsuitable for honest naval battles in an open format. The massacre at Cape Matapan, the shame at Taranto - the linear and cruising forces of the Regia Marina showed their complete inability to resist the well-trained fleet of Her Majesty.

And if so, then it is necessary to force the enemy to play by the Italian rules! Submarines, human torpedoes, combat swimmers and boats with explosives. The British fleet was in big trouble.

Scheme of the attack of the naval base Alexandria

... On the night of December 18-19, 1941, a British patrol caught two eccentrics in "frog" clothes from the Alexandria Bay. Realizing that things were not clean, the British battened down all the hatches and doors in the watertight bulkheads of the battleships, gathered on the upper deck and prepared for the worst.

The captured Italians, after a short interrogation, were locked in the lower rooms of the doomed battleship, in the hope that the "pasta" would finally "break" and still explain what was happening. Alas, despite the danger that threatened them, the Italian combat swimmers steadfastly kept silent. Until 6:05 a.m., when powerful demolition charges went off under the bottoms of the battleships Valient and Queen Elizabeth. Another bomb tore apart a naval refueling tanker.

Despite the biting "slap" from the Italian Navy, the British paid tribute to the crews of "man-torpedoes".

"One can only admire the cold-blooded courage and enterprise of the Italians. Everything was carefully thought out and planned."

- Admiral E. Cunningham, Commander of the Mediterranean Forces of Her Majesty's Fleet

After the incident, the British frantically swallowed air and looked for ways to protect their naval bases from Italian saboteurs. The entrances to all the major Mediterranean naval bases - Alexandria, Gibraltar, La Valetta were tightly blocked with nets, dozens of patrol boats were on duty on the surface. Every 3 minutes, another depth bomb flew into the water. However, over the next two years of the war, another 23 Allied ships and tankers became victims of frog people.

In April 1942, the Italians deployed an assault detachment of high-speed boats and mini-submarines to the Black Sea. At first, the "sea devils" were based in Constanta (Romania), then in the Crimea and even in Anapa. The result of the actions of Italian saboteurs was the death of two Soviet submarines and three cargo ships, not counting the many sorties and sabotage on the coast.

The capitulation of Italy in 1943 caught the "special operations" department by surprise - the "black prince" Valerio Borghese had just begun preparations for another grandiose operation - he was going to play a little "naughty" in New York.

Italian mini-submarines in Constanta

Valerio Borghese - one of the main ideologists and inspirers of Italian combat swimmers

The colossal experience of the team of Valerio Borghese was appreciated in post-war years. All available techniques, technologies and developments have become the basis for the creation and training of special SEAL units around the world. It is no coincidence that Borghese combat swimmers are the main suspects in the sinking of the battleship Novorossiysk (captured Italian Giulio Cesare) in 1955. According to one version, the Italians could not survive their shame and destroyed the ship, so that it would not fly under the enemy flag. However, this is all just speculation.

Epilogue

At the beginning of the 21st century, the Italian navy is a compact European fleet armed with the most modern ships and maritime systems.
The modern Italian fleet is nothing like the crooked Leaning Tower of Pisa: the training and equipment of Italian sailors meets the most stringent NATO standards and requirements. All ships and aircraft are built into a single information space; when choosing weapons, the benchmark is shifted towards purely defensive means - anti-aircraft missile systems, anti-submarine weapons, short-range self-defense means.

The Italian Navy has two aircraft carriers. There is a high-quality underwater component and basic naval aviation. The Italian Navy regularly takes part in peacekeeping and special missions around the globe. Technical means are constantly updated: when choosing weapons, electronic means of navigation, detection and communication, priority is given to leading European developers - British BAE Systems, French Thales, and also Marconi's own corporation. Judging by the results, the Italians are doing great.

Nevertheless, one should not forget the words of the commander Alexander Suvorov: There is no land in the world that would be so dotted with fortresses as Italy. And there is no land that has been conquered so often.

The newest Italian aircraft carrier "Cavour"

"Andrea Doria" - one of two Italian frigates of the "Horizon" class (Orizzonte)

Statistical data -
"The Italian Navy in World War II" by Captain 2nd Rank Mark Antonio Bragadin

Illustrations –
http://www.wikipedia.org/
http://waralbum.ru/

The history of the Italian naval forces begins in 1946, after II World War. At that time, the fleet was in a catastrophic state: the territorial waters were full of mines and sunken ships, the infrastructure required the construction of all buildings from scratch, it was necessary to build new ships. At the same time, there were a number of restrictions, according to which the country was forbidden to have aggressive strike weapons, it could not use nuclear weapons and had restrictions on the total number of ships.

Today, the Italian Navy performs two main tasks: protecting national interests and ensuring security in the world in close cooperation with NATO.

Structure and deployment of the Italian Navy

Structurally, the Navy is divided into surface and submarine fleets, aviation and marines, together with special forces.

The following naval territories of Italy are distinguished:

1. Northern zone
2. Southern zone
3. Island of Sicily
4. Central zone

Starting in 2005, the Italian Navy launched a process of renewal of the ship's composition and naval aviation. To date, not all planned vessels are in service, many of them are under construction.

Aircraft carriers

On the this moment the Italian Navy owns two aircraft carriers:

• Cavour - has been part of the combat forces since 2009, can serve as a landing ship, can accommodate up to 415 people, 50 armored vehicles or 24 heavy battle tanks. Aviation consists of 8 AV-8B Harrier II aircraft and 12 Agusta Westland AW101 helicopters.
• Giuseppe Garibaldi - is the flagship of the Italian Navy, in service since 1985, accommodates 16 AV-8B Harrier II aircraft or 18 Augusta SH-3D (AgustaWestland AW101) helicopters. By 2022, it is planned to replace the ship with a newer aircraft carrier.

Also in service are 3 San Giorgio-type landing helicopter carriers with the following aircraft: 5 AW-101 aircraft or 5 Agusta Bell AB-212 helicopters. Decommissioning is planned for 2019.

Submarines

Submarines are presented in 2 classes:

• "Torado", type 212 - diesel-electric submarines built in Germany at the beginning of the 21st century. As of 2017, the fleet owns 4 ships, weapons include Triton anti-ship missiles, torpedo weapons, and mines.
• "Sauro" - diesel submarines of Italian production, built in the late 80s and early 90s. 4 vessels remained in service. On board are Whitehead A-184 torpedoes and mines.

destroyers

4 destroyers of the class "Orizzonte" (new) and "Durand de la Penne" (preparing to be replaced) have the following weapons on board:

• Aster anti-aircraft missiles with a range of 1.7 km to 120 km;
• TESEO Mk-2/A anti-ship missiles;
• Torpedoes VASS B515/1;
• 1 AW-101 or SH90A helicopter.

Battleships

All Italian battleships were sunk during World War II, the results of the battles showed that these types of ships were outdated and their further construction was inappropriate.

Frigates

As of 2017, the Italian Navy has 3 types of frigates:

• "Maestrale" - 8 ships, originally built for anti-submarine defense, but they also do an excellent job with anti-aircraft tasks. At the moment, 6 vessels remain in service, which are also planned to be replaced. The armament includes the Teseo Mk.2 anti-ship missile launcher, the Albatros air defense missile launcher, the Aspide missile defense system, and AB-212 helicopters.
• Lupo are light patrol frigates built in the 80s. 2 ships remain in service, armament includes AB-212ASW helicopter, Sea Sparrow/Aspide SAM launcher, Mark 32 torpedoes.
• Bergamini - 6 ships are in service in 2017, 4 more will appear before 2021. The following weapons are on board: Aster missiles, Teseo \\ Otomat MK-2 anti-ship missiles, MU 90 torpedoes, SH90 helicopters.

boats

Landing craft are represented by the following types: LCM62, MTM217, MTP96. The total number of 20 ships. These ships also carry out escort missions.

Patrol boats of the Cassiopea type were built in the 80s, at the moment there are 4 vessels in service. They are designed to patrol in safe areas.

minesweepers

Mine-sweeping ships are represented by the Lerici type, which includes the following subspecies:

• Lerici - 4 vessels, put into operation in 1985, on board there are 4 officers, 7 divers, 36 people - other personnel, from the weapons of the Oerlikon gun, the Oropesa anti-mine system.
• Gaeta - 8 ships, in service since 1996. Differences from the first type: elongated hull, improved radars.

By 2018, the release of new, even more modern equipment for Lerici minesweepers is expected.

Corvettes

Minerva-class corvettes were built in the 90s, they are distinguished by good speed and armament: Sea Sparrow or Selenia Aspide missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes. Of the 8 ships in service, 2 remained.