2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio"

The 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio" (Italian: 2° Reggimento Aviazione dell'Esercito "Sirio") is an active unit of the Italian Army based at Lamezia Terme Airport in Calabria. The regiment is part of the Italian army's army aviation and operationally assigned to the Army Aviation Brigade.[2]

2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio"
2° Reggimento Aviazione dell'Esercito "Sirio"
Regimental coat of arms highlighting Sirius
within the Canis Major constellation
Active1 October 1996 - today
Country Italy
BranchItalian Army
Part ofArmy Aviation Brigade
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" and the 12th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Gru" were raised at Lamezia Terme Airport and placed under command of the Army Aviation Inspectorate. The regiment received the 20th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Andromeda" based at Pontecagnano Airport on the same day. At its formation the regiment was structured as follows:[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.

In fall 1996 the President of the Italian Republic Oscar Luigi Scalfaro granted the regiment a newly created war flag, which today is decorated with one Silver Medal of Army Valour awarded to the then autonomous 20th Light Airplanes and Helicopters Squadrons Group "Andromeda" for its service after the 1980 Irpinia earthquake.[1]

Events

On 1 October 1997 the 30th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Pegaso" based at Fontanarossa Airport in Sicily entered the regiment and began its move from Fontanarossa to Lamezia Terme. On 30 April 1998 the 12th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Gru" based at Lamezia Terme was disbanded and its personnel and equipment integrated into the newly arrived 30th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Pegaso". On 15 November 2000 the regiment entered the Air Cavalry Grouping, which on 1 March 2006 became the Army Aviation Brigade. On 3 April 2001 the 21st Squadrons Group "Orsa Maggiore", at Elmas Airport in Sardinia entered the regiment and in fall 2002 the 20th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Andromeda" was disbanded.[4]

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

As of 2019 the 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio" consists of:[6]

  • 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio", at Lamezia Terme Airport
    • Unknown unit with AgustaWestland UH-169B's[7]
    • Headquarters Unit, at Lamezia Terme Airport
    • 21st Squadrons Group "Orsa Maggiore", at Elmas Airport[8]
      • Command and Logistic Support Squadron
      • 515th Combat Support Helicopters Squadron
      • Maintenance Squadron
    • 30th Squadrons Group "Pegaso", at Lamezia Terme Airport
      • Command and Logistic Support Squadron
      • 430th Combat Support Helicopters Squadron
      • 530th Combat Support Helicopters Squadron
      • Maintenance Squadron

Equipment

The 21st Squadrons Group "Orsa Maggiore" is equipped with AB 412 helicopters, while the 30th Squadrons Group "Pegaso" is equipped with AB 412 and AB 212 helicopters, the latter of which the army has begun to replace with AW169 MA helicopters.[9][10]

See also

References
  1. "2° Reggimento Aviazione dell'Esercito "Sirio" - Il-Medagliere". Italian Army. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  2. "2° Reggimento Aviazione dell'Esercito "Sirio"". Italian Army. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  3. "Reparti Aves". Associazione Nazionale Aviazione Esercito. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  4. "2° Reggimento Aviazione dell'Esercito "Sirio" - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  5. Cerbo, Giovanni (1996). L'Aviazione dell'Esercito - Dalle origini ai giorni nostri. Rome: Rivista Militare. p. 128. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  6. "2° Reggimento Aviazione Esercito "Sirio"". Ministero della Difesa. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  7. AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. September 2020. p. 12.
  8. "21° Gruppo Squadroni Aviazione dell'Esercito "Orsa Maggiore"". Ministero della Difesa. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  9. "Altri 15 AW-169M per l'Esercito Italiano". RID - Portale Difesa. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  10. "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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