IMAM Ro.43 gives the fleet organic reconnaissance

The Regia Marina relied on embarked reconnaissance aircraft because shore-based aviation did not reliably provide the fleet with timely information and Italy had no carrier. Air-force personnel still supplied the pilots, creating an arrangement comparable to Britain's Fleet Air Arm before its return to Admiralty control. Production figures are disputed, ranging from about 190 to 240 aircraft; upgrades, modifications, and wartime losses may help explain the disagreement. The Ro.43 combined roughly 300 km/h maximum speed with useful cruising performance and four-and-a-half hours of standard endurance. Extra fuel could extend endurance and range substantially, making the floatplane a practical organic scouting tool despite the institutional division between navy and air force.