alternatehistory.com

People,

We have been around the Bismarck thing now, and also squinted at the Med.

Now, What could the Italian navy do after 1940?

Wiki:
At the time that Italy declared war, the Regia Marina consisted of six capital ships.

In addition to the six capital ships, the Italians had 19 cruisers, 59 destroyers, 67 torpedo boats, and 116 submarines. Numerically the Italian fleet was strong but there was a large number of obsolete units and the service suffered in general from insufficient training of crews.

The shortage of oil precluded extensive operations.[4]

The warships of the Regia Marina had a general reputation as being well-designed. Italian small attack craft lived up to expectations and were responsible for many brave and successful actions in the Mediterranean.[5]

The Italian Navy also lacked a proper fleet air arm. The aircraft carriers Aquila and Sparviero were never completed and most air support during the Battle of the Mediterranean was supplied by the land-based Regia Aeronautica.[3]

So, the Italian navy - on paper - was a fearsome force.

IF there was a courageous admiral, a fire eating admiral bent on naval clashes in the Med?

IF they had enough fuel to do something serious?

What options did they have in 1940? Blockade Alexandria? Greek support? Malta? Crete?

Ivan
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