Flotilla
A flotilla (from Spanish, meaning a small flota (fleet) of ships), or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet.
Composition
A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same
A flotilla is usually commanded by a rear admiral, a commodore or a captain, depending on the importance of the command (a vice admiral would normally command a squadron). A flotilla is often divided into two or more divisions, each of which might be commanded by the most senior commander, nearly always a lieutenant at the very least. A flotilla is often, but not necessarily, a permanent formation.
In modern navies, flotillas have tended to become administrative units containing several squadrons.[1] As warships have grown larger, the term squadron has gradually replaced the term flotilla for formations of destroyers, frigates and submarines in many navies.
A naval flotilla has no direct equivalent on land, but is, perhaps, the rough equivalent in tactical value of a brigade or regiment.
Specific usage
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
In the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, a flotilla is the basic organizational unit and consists of members at a local level where the majority of the work of the auxiliary is done. A flotilla is led by an elected flotilla commander assisted by an elected vice flotilla commander, who is in turn assisted by appointed flotilla staff officers.[2] A Coast Guard Auxiliary division consists of multiple flotillas and a district consists of multiple divisions. Auxiliary districts are organized along Coast Guard district lines and are administered by a Coast Guard officer (usually a commander or captain) who is called the "director of the auxiliary".
In the
Non-military usage
The word flotilla has also been used at times to refer to a small fleet of vessels, commercial or otherwise.[4] There is also such a thing as a "flotilla holiday", which is a group of chartered yachts that set sail together on the same route.
See also
- 10th Assault Vehicle Flotilla
- Chesapeake Bay Flotilla of U.S. Navy (War of 1812)
- Tactical formation
- Task force
References
- Chief Director of Auxiliary (2007-02-15). "USCG G-PCX Web Site – Flotilla Organizational Structure". USCG Auxiliary Office of the Chief Director (CG-3PCX). Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-03-15.
- ^ "military unit." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2010. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 16 Oct. 2010 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1346160/military-unit>: "Administratively, several ships of the same type (e.g., destroyers) are organized into a squadron. Several squadrons in turn form a flotilla, several of which in turn form a fleet. For operations, however, many navies organize their vessels into task units (3–5 ships), task or battle groups (4–10 ships), task forces (2–5 task groups), and fleets (several task forces)."
- ^ As described at the Flotilla Organization Archived 2007-03-17 at the Wayback Machine page of the U.S. Coast Guard.
- ISBN 81-7387-109-4. p.160. On Google Books
- ^ "OCSC Sailing School". OCSC. Archived from the original on 11 June 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2018.