Sections of navy blue American painter put upside down (7)
I believe the answer is:
armadas
'sections of navy' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both groups as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'blue american painter put upside down' is the wordplay.
'blue' becomes 'sad' (similar in meaning).
'american' becomes 'Am' (abbreviation in some contexts).
'painter put' becomes 'ra' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'upside down' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'sad'+'am'+'ra'='sadamra'
'sadamra' backwards is 'ARMADAS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for armadas that I've seen before include "task forces" , "Fleets of warships" , "Large fleets, Spanish perhaps" , "Large fleet of ships" .)