2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio"

Formation On 1 October 1996, the 12th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Gru" was reformed at Lamezia Terme Airport and assigned to the 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio", which was formed on the same day. Furthermore on the same day, the 20th Army Aviation Squadrons Group "Andromeda", which was based 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: • 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: regiments are numbered with a single digit and named for stars in the 88 modern constellationss. 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 then moved from Fontanarossa Airport to Lamezia Terme Airport. 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 3 November 2003, the Air Cavalry left the Italian Army's Cavalry Arm and became, as Army Aviation Specialty, a separate speciality of the Italian Army. Consequently, the 2nd Air Cavalry Regiment "Sirio" was renamed 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio", while the Air Cavalry Grouping was renamed Army Aviation Grouping. On 1 March 2006, the Army Aviation Grouping was reorganized and renamed Army Aviation Brigade. == Organization ==

As of 2024 the 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio" is organized as follows: == Equipment ==

The 21st Army Aviation Detachment "Orsa Maggiore" is equipped with AB 412 helicopters, while the 30th Squadrons Group "Pegaso" is equipped with AB 412 and AB 212 helicopters. In 2023, the Italian Army began the process of replacing both of the regiment's helicopter types with modern UH-169D helicopters. == See also ==