2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio"

The 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio" (Italian: 2° Reggimento Aviazione dell'Esercito "Sirio") is an Italian Army regiment based at Lamezia Terme Airport in Calabria. The regiment is part of the army aviation and assigned to the Airmobile Brigade "Friuli". Formed in 1996 the regiment is responsible for helicopter operations in southern Italy, and on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. The regiment, together with the 4th Army Aviation Regiment "Altair", constitutes the Italian Army's general support aviation capability.[2]

2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio"
2° Reggimento Aviazione dell'Esercito "Sirio"
Regimental coat of arms highlighting Sirius
within the Canis Major constellation
Active1 Oct. 1996 — today
Country Italy
BranchItalian Army
Part ofAirmobile Brigade "Friuli"
Garrison/HQLamezia Terme Airport
Motto(s)"Per aerem usque ad metam"
Anniversaries10 May 1953 - Founding of the Italian Army Aviation
Decorations
1x Silver Medal of Army Valour[1]
Insignia
Army Aviation gorget patches

History

Formation

On 1 October 1996 the 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio" was formed and the 12th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Gru" was reformed at Lamezia Terme Airport. On the same date the 20th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Andromeda" at Pontecagnano Airport was transferred from the Southern Military Region to the 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio". After its formation the regiment was assigned to the Army Aviation Inspectorate and consisted of the following units:[3][4]

  • 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio", at Lamezia Terme Airport
    • 12th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Gru", at Lamezia Terme Airport
      • Command and Services Squadron
      • 121st Multirole Helicopters Squadron (AB 205 helicopters)
      • 122nd Multirole Helicopters Squadron (AB 205 helicopters)
    • 20th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Andromeda", at Pontecagnano Airport
      • Command and Services Squadron
      • 420th Reconnaissance Helicopters Squadron (AB 206 helicopters)
      • 520th Multirole Helicopters Squadron (AB 205 helicopters)

Naming

Since the 1975 Army reform Italian army aviation units are named for celestial objects:[5] regiments are numbered with a single digit and named for stars in the 88 modern constellationss.[5] Accordingly, an army aviation regiment's coat of arms highlights the name-giving star within its constellation. Squadron groups were numbered with two digits and named for constellations, or planets of the Solar System.[5] The 2nd Army Aviation Regiment was named for Sirius (Italian: Sirio) the brightest star in the Canis Major constellation.

On 18 September 1996 the President of the Italian Republic Oscar Luigi Scalfaro granted the regiment its flag, which today is decorated with one Silver Medal of Army Valour awarded to the then autonomous 20th Army Light Aviation Squadrons Group "Andromeda" for its service after the 1980 Irpinia earthquake.[1][6]

Recent times

On 1 October 1997 the 30th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Pegaso" based at Fontanarossa Airport in Sicily was transferred from the Sicily Military Region to the regiment and began to move from Fontanarossa to Lamezia Terme. On the same date the regiment was transferred from the Aviation Inspectorate to the Southern Military Region. On 30 April 1998 the 12th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Gru" was disbanded and its personnel and materiel integrated into the 30th Squadrons Group "Pegaso". On the same date the regiment was transferred from the Southern Military Region to the 2nd Defense Forces Command in Naples. On 15 November 2000 the regiment entered the Air Cavalry Grouping, which on 1 March 2006 was renamed Army Aviation Brigade. On 3 April 2001 the 21st Squadrons Group "Orsa Maggiore" based at Elmas Airport in Sardinia was transferred from the Sardinia Military Command to the regiment, but already on 31 July 2002 the group was transferred from the regiment to the Army Aviation Training Center. On 12 December 2002 the 20th Squadrons Group "Andromeda" moved from Pontecagnano Airport to Lamezia Terme Airport. On 24 June 2013 the 21st Squadrons Group "Orsa Maggiore" returned from the Army Aviation Training Center to the regiment. The same year the 20th Squadrons Group "Andromeda" was disbanded and its personnel and materiel integrated into the 30th Squadrons Group "Pegaso".[4] On 1 October 2023 the regiment was assigned with all other army aviation regiments to the Airmobile Brigade "Friuli".[7]

Organization
21st Squadrons Group "Orsa Maggiore" AB 412 helicopter in Sardinia

As of 2023 the 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio" consists of:[8]

  • 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio", at Lamezia Terme Airport
    • Command and Logistic Support Squadron, at Lamezia Terme Airport
    • 21st Detachment "Orsa Maggiore", at Elmas Airport[9]
      • Command and Logistic Support Squadron
      • Light Utility Helicopters Squadron
    • 30th Squadrons Group "Pegaso", at Lamezia Terme Airport
      • 430th Combat Support Helicopters Squadron
      • 530th Combat Support Helicopters Squadron
    • Maintenance Squadron, at Lamezia Terme Airport
    • Training unit, with AW169MA helicopters, at Lamezia Terme Airport[10]

Equipment

The 21st Detachment "Orsa Maggiore" is equipped with AB 412 helicopters, while the 30th Squadrons Group "Pegaso" is equipped with AB 412 and AB 212 helicopters. The Italian Army plans to replace both types with AW169MA helicopters from 2023.[11][12]

See also

References
  1. "2° Reggimento Aviazione dell'Esercito "Sirio" - Il-Medagliere". Italian Army. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  2. "2° Reggimento Aviazione dell'Esercito "Sirio"". Italian Army. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  3. "Reparti Aves". Associazione Nazionale Aviazione Esercito. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  4. "2° Reggimento Aviazione dell'Esercito "Sirio" - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  5. Cerbo, Giovanni (1996). L'Aviazione dell'Esercito - Dalle origini ai giorni nostri. Rome: Rivista Militare. p. 128. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  6. "20° Gruppo Squadroni A.L.E. "Andromeda"". Quirinale - Presidenza della Repubblica. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  7. "Comando Aviazione dell'Esercito - La Struttura ordinativa". Italian Army. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  8. "2° Reggimento Aviazione Esercito "Sirio"". Ministero della Difesa. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  9. "21° Gruppo Squadroni Aviazione dell'Esercito "Orsa Maggiore"". Ministero della Difesa. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  10. AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. September 2020. p. 12.
  11. "Altri 15 AW-169M per l'Esercito Italiano". RID - Portale Difesa. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  12. "Programma Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) Esercito Italiano - acquisizione elicotteri AW-169 in configurazione Multiruolo Avanzato" (PDF). Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
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