Flotilla

Flotilla is a naval term describing a group of ships that operate together as a tactical unit, typically smaller than a fleet. A flotilla may comprise destroyers, torpedo boats, frigates, corvettes, submarines, or other vessels, and is usually commanded by a flotilla commander. The term implies organization and common purpose rather than a fixed number of ships. The size of a flotilla varies widely and can be a subset of a larger fleet or an independent formation.

The word derives from the Spanish flotilla, a diminutive of flota, meaning fleet. In European navies from the 17th century onward, flotillas were common organizational units for coastal defense, blockade, patrols, and supporting larger fleets. In traditional navies, flotillas were often the main administrative unit for destroyer or torpedo boat squadrons; modern usage continues in some navies as "destroyer flotilla" or "frigate flotilla," though many armed forces use more generic terms like squadron or task group.

Non-military usage has popularized the term in reference to humanitarian or protest flotillas, groups of civilian ships attempting to reach a destination under a disputed blockade, such as the Gaza flotilla in 2010.

Today, flotilla remains a historical and occasionally functional designation in some navies, preserving the notion of a coordinated, multi-ship unit within or alongside a larger fleet. Its exact role depends on doctrine, era, and the sizes of ships involved.