Italian Navy Maristaeli Luni5° Gruppo Elicotteri

The 5th Helicopter Group was the first operational group at the La Spezia naval base, established on 1 November 1969, together with technical and logistical support for the helicopters.

- Gian Carlo Vecchi

Helicopters assigned to the Group over the years – AB-47J followed by AB-47G, AB-47J3 and SH-34J Sea Bat were sold by the 1st Helicopter Group which at that time operated from the MARISTAELI Catania Fontanarossa base. The arrival of the Sea Bats marked the beginning of the collaboration with the COMSUBIN and with the San Marco Battalion.

From 1971 the Group was equipped with AB-204 AS helicopters and from 1976 the first AB-212s arrived which gradually replaced all previous helicopters.

Since its establishment, the 5th Group has been engaged in operations in the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Yugoslavia, Albania, Lebanon, and Afghanistan; while at the same time assisting with interventions by the Civil Protection.

In 2000, a group of pilots and operators trained for support operations by the Special Forces, was set up at the Group using an aircraft that had been configured by the Navy as suitable for the use of NVG night vision goggles.

Arrival of the SH-90A

On 15 June 2011, the 5th Helicopter Group received the first SH-90A (aircraft side number 3-04). The introduction of the SH-90A represented an epochal turning point in the helicopter sector of the Armed Force, aimed at ensuring the interoperability of the fleet with those of the most advanced allied navies and maintaining the high standards required by NATO.