Author: Ian French
Photography: Ian French & Jackie Rodgers
1° Reggimento Aviazione dell’Esercito “ANTARES”
1° Reggimento was originally formed in 1976 with 11° Gruppo “ERCOLE”, later 51° Gruppo “LEONE” and 12° Gruppo GRU, now disbanded. Nowadays the regiment is composed of 11° Gruppo “ERCOLE”, 28° Gruppo “TUCANO” (which was originally independent and was added in 2013) and a Maintenance Group.
11° Gruppo Squadroni “ERCOLE” was formed in 1976 at Viterbo and operated the CH-47C until 2016 when they were replaced with the CH-47F. The CH-47F was introduced from 2014.
There were three squadrons: 111-113° Squadroni ETM though 113° Squadroni has now disbanded. 11° Gruppo Squadroni operates the CH-47F.
28° Gruppo Squadroni “TUCANO” at Viterbo (Lazio) was formed in 1976 at Roma-Urbe with 281 Squadroni AL operating the SM1019 and 428° Squadroni ERI operating the AB206. It was an independent unit before joining 1 Reggimento in 2013.
The two subordinate squadrons disbanded but new squadrons were formed: Squadroni ACTL to operate the Dornier 228 from 1993 (three are operated) and Squadroni ACTR to operate the Piaggio P180E from 1997. Since 2014, 28° Gruppo Squadroni has been the focal point of activity for the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for the entire Army Aviation.
51° Gruppo Squadroni “Leone” (which reformed in 2021) operates the NH90TTH. The squadron was established in 1976 at Viterbo
51° Gruppo Squadroni had four squadrons: 511-514° Squadroni EM which operated the AB205 1976-2002, AB212 1983-1986 & AB412 1986-2002. The latter two squadrons were disbanded in 1984 and the first two in 2002 when the Gruppo was disbanded and its assets absorbed into 26° Gruppo Squadroni.
3° Reggimento Elicotteri Operazioni Speciali REOS “ALDEBARAN”
3° REOS was established as a conventional operations unit in 1993 at Milano-Bresso (Lombardia) but disbanded in 1998. It was reformed in 2014 as a Special Operations Aviation Regiment consisting of an operational battalion (26° Gruppo Squadroni “GIOVE”) and a maintenance battalion.
26° Gruppo Squadroni “GIOVE” was established in 1975 as an independent battalion in Pisa with 261° Squadrone AL with L-19, L-21 and later SM1019 (this unit disbanded in 1976), 426° Squadrone ERI with AB206 1976-1998 and 526° Squadrone EM with AB204 1977-1978, AB205 1975-1998 & AB412 1996-1998.
In 2001, 26° Gruppo Squadroni was moved to Viterbo and became part of 1° Reggimento “ANTARES” and renamed 26° Reparto Elicotteri per Operazioni Speciali (REOS) and absorbed the assets of the disbanded 39° and 51 °Gruppi Squadroni.

In 2014 26° REOS was transferred from 1° Reggimento “ANTARES” and became the core of the reformed 3° REOS “ALDEBARAN”.

Nowadays the subordinate units are: 261° Squadrone ETM with CH-47F (previously CH-47C), 262° Squadrone ETT with NH-90TTH and 263° Squadrone ESC with AB412.

As of today, 26° Gruppo Squadroni’s fleet includes 9 NH90s, 5 CH-47Fs and 5 AB412s and is the only unit to operate three different types.

Centro Addestrativo Aviazione dell’Esercito
The Centro Addestrativo Aviazione dell’Esercito (CAAE) was established in 1957 at Bracciano as the Army Light Aviation Training Centre, reflecting the army aviation’s role then as principally observation. It also established Bracciano as the Army’s oldest airfield. The CAAE relocated to Viterbo in 1958. The blue beret worn by CAAE personnel was adopted in 1971.

The CAAE participates in many exercises and missions to ensure training takes place in real situations. The 1970s saw the introduction of armament for helicopters and the introduction of tactical flight techniques for attack.

Over the decades the role and responsibilities of the Army have changed dramatically and the CAAE has naturally been at the forefront of making and embedding these changes. Today the CAAE is responsible for training all pilots and aircraft technicians of the Army, a true national centre of excellence. It trains crews and flight units in Forward Medical Evacuation, qualification courses for pilots and technicians, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) courses, first aid, firefighting, winch operators and on-board machine gunners to name some of the topics covered.

1° Gruppo Squadroni “Auriga” operated the A109 from 1976-2001 and continues to operate the AB205A and AB206C. These will be replaced by the AW169 in the next few years.
Aviation Press would like to thank Lt Colonel Carofalo, Chief of Public Information Office of the Italian Army Aviation HQ in Viterbo, the MOD Attache Rome and Mark Forest, Editor of Aviation Reporting UK for their assistance in arranging our visits and our very generous hosts Capt. Davide Di Giuseppe of CAAE, LTC Rocco Rossini of 1° Reggimento Aviazione dell’Esercito ‘Antares’, and LTC Michele Celeste of 3° Reggimento Elicotteri Operazioni Speciali ‘Aldebaran’.

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