Information about Italian Army

The Italian Army (Esercito Italiano) is the ground defense force of the Italian Republic. It recently (July 29th, 2004) became a professional all-volunteer force of 115,000 active duty personnel. The headquarters of the Army General Staff are in Rome, opposite the Presidential Palace.

Command structure

The Armed Forces of Italy are under the command of the Italian Supreme Defense Council, presided over by the President of the Italian Republic. The Italian Army is commanded by the SME or “Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito” (Chief of the Army General Staff) in Rome. The Chief of staff has direct control of all support and logistics operations in Italy (i.e. military clinics, repair facilities, acquisitions,…), but no direct control of the operational forces, which are all assigned to and commanded by COMFOTER: “Comando delle Forze Operative Terrestri” (Command of Operational Land Forces).

Operational forces

COMFOTER has direct command on a NATO rapid reaction Corps Command (NRDC-IT), of four support brigades (Artillery, Air Defense, Logistics, Engineering), as well as command of the Army Aviation, the Army Communication and Transmission command and of three commands called COMFOD 1, COMFOD 2 and COMALP, which between them command the actual 11 Italian combat Brigades. The attached units are in detail:

NRDC-IT

The NRDC or "NATO Rapid Deployable Corps" is located in Solbiate Olona (Lombardy) and has a whole brigade at its dependency, formed by:

• Signal Bde HQ in Solbiate Olona (Lombardy)
• 1° Signal Regiment in Milan (Lombardy)
• Logistic Support Regiment in Solbiate Olona (Lombardy)

COMALP

“Comando Truppe Alpine” or COMALP has command over the professional Mountain Troops of the Italian Army, called "Alpines", in Italian Alpini. It is located in Bolzano and consist of the following units:

• Alpini Training Center "Btg Aosta"in Aosta
• 4° Alpini Paracadutisti regiment (Parachutist Alpini) "btg Monte Cervino" in Bolzano with 21 Bv206 and 33 Puma 4x4 (Forces for Special Operations)
• 6° Alpini Regiment "Btg Bassano" (high altitude training areas) in San Candido (South Tyrol) with 21 Bv206
• Tridentina Division Command (without fixed units) in Brixen (South Tyrol)
• Taurinense Alpine Brigade in Turin (Piedmont)
• 1° Cavalry Regiment “Nizza Cavalleria” in Pinerolo (Piedmont) with 50 Centauro and 33 Puma 4x4
• 2° Alpini Regiment "Btg Saluzzo" in Cuneo (Piedmont) with 21 Bv206 and 26 Puma 6x6
• 3° Alpini Regiment "Btg Susa" in Pinerolo (Piedmont) with 21 Bv206 and 26 Puma 6x6
• 9° Alpini Regiment "Btg l'Aquila" in l'Aquila (Abruzzi) with 21 Bv206 and 26 Puma 6x6
• 1° Mountain Artillery Regiment (alpini) "Grp Aosta" in Fossano (Piedmont) with 24 FH-70
• 32° Alpini Engineer Regiment in Turin (Piedmont)
• Julia Alpine Brigade in Udine (Friuli)
• 5° Alpini Regiment "Btg Morbegno" in Vipiteno (South Tyrol Italy) with 21 Bv206 and 26 Puma 6x6
• 7° Alpini Regiment "Btg Feltre" in Belluno (Veneto) with 21 Bv206 and 26 Puma 6x6
• 8° Alpini Regiment "Btg Tolmezzo" in Cividale e Venzone (Friuli) with 21 Bv206 and 26 Puma 6x6
• 3° Mountain Artillery Regiment (alpini) "Grp Conegliano"in Tolmezzo (Friuli) with 24 FH-70
• 2° Alpini Engineer Regiment "Btg Iseo" in Trento (Trentino)
• 1° Hungarian Light Infantry Battalion (for out of area NATO peacekeeping deployment)
• 10° Slovenian Motorised Infantry Battalion (for out of area NATO peacekeeping deployment)

COMFOD 1

“Comando Forze di Difesa 1” or COMFOD 1 resides in the north-eastern city of Vittorio Veneto (Veneto) and commands the most specialized brigades of the Italian Army:

• “Mantova” Infantry Division Command (without fixed units)
• “Ariete” Armored Brigade in Pordenone (Friuli-Venezia Giulia)
• 4° Tank Regiment in Bellinzago Novarese (Piedmont) with 54 Ariete
• 32° Tank Regiment in Tauriano (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) with 54 Ariete
• 132° Tank Regiment in Cordenons (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) with 54 Ariete
• 3° Bersaglieri mechanized Infantry Regiment in Milan (Lombardy) with 59 VCC (M113 improved)
• 11° Bersaglieri mechanized Infantry Regiment in Orcenigo Superiore (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) with 59 Dardo
• 132° Self Propelled Artillery Rgt. “Ariete” in Maniago (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) with 32 M109/L, which will be replaced within 2008 by the PzH 2000
• 10° Engineer Regiment in Cremona (Lombardy)
• “Folgore” Parachutist Brigade in Livorno (Tuscany)
• Parachutist Training Center in Pisa (Tuscany)
• 9° Parachutist Assault Regiment “Col Moschin” in Livorno (Tuscany) (Special forces)
• 183° Parachutist Regiment “Nembo” in Pistoia (Tuscany) with 26 Puma 6x6
• 186° Parachutist Regiment “Folgore” in Siena (Tuscany) with 26 Puma 6x6
• 187° Parachutist Regiment “Folgore” in Livorno (Tuscany) with 26 Puma 6x6
• 185° Parachutist Reconnaissance Regiment “Folgore” in Livorno (Tuscany) (Forces for Special Operations)
• 8° Parachutist Engineer Regiment in Legnago (Veneto)
• “Friuli” Air Assault Brigade in Bologna (Emilia)
• 3 °Cavalry Regiment “Savoia Cavalleria” in Grosseto (Tuscany) with 50 Centauro and 33 Puma 4x4
• 66° Air Assault Infantry Regiment “Trieste” in Forlì (Romagna) with 33 Puma 4x4
• 5° Army Aviation Regiment “Rigel” in Casarsa (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) with
• 36 A129 "Mangusta" Attack Helicopters
• 12 AB 109EOA "Hirundo" Observation helicopters
• 24 AB 206C/1 Battlefield Surveillance helicopter
• 7° Army Aviation Regiment “Vega” in Rimini (Romagna) with
• 24 A129 "Mangusta" Attack Helicopters
• 12 AB 109EOA "Hirundo" Observation helicopters
• 24 AB 412 Support helicopters
• “Pozzuolo del Friuli” Cavalry Brigade in Gorizia (Friuli-Venezia Giulia)
• 2° Cavalry Regiment “Piemonte Cavalleria” in Trieste (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) with 50 Centauro and 33 Puma 4x4
• 4° Cavalry Regiment “Genova Cavalleria” in Palmanova (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) with 50 Centauro and 33 Puma 4x4
• 5 °Cavalry Regiment “Lancieri di Novara” in Codroipo (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) with 50 Centauro and 33 Puma 4x4
• Lagunari (Marine Infantry) Regiment “Serenissima” in Venice (Veneto) with 13 AAV7-A1 and 41 Puma 6x6
• Horse Artillery Regiment "Volòire" in Milan (Lombardy) with 24 FH-70
• 3° Engineer Regiment in Udine (Friuli-Venezia Giulia)

COMFOD 2

“Comando Forze di Difesa 2” or COMFOD 2 resides in S. Giorgio a Cremano near Naples and commands 5 brigades. Three of those, the brigades “Aosta”, “Pinerolo” and “Granatieri di Sardegna” are made up of one year volunteers and therefore intended for use mainly on Italian soil. The COMFOD 2 commands:

• “Acqui” Division Command (without fixed units)
• “Garibaldi” Bersaglieri Mechanized Brigade in Caserta (Campania)
• 131° Tank Regiment in Persano (Campania) with 54 Leopard 1
• 19 °Cavalry Regiment “Cavalleggeri Guide” in Salerno (Campania) with 50 Centauro and 33 Puma 4x4
• 1° Bersaglieri Regiment in Cosenza (Calabria) with 59 Dardo
• 8° Bersaglieri Regiment in Caserta (Campania) with 59 Dardo
• 8° Self propelled Artillery Regiment “Pasubio” in Persano (Campania) with 24 M109/L, which are currently being replaced by the PzH 2000
• 21° Engineer Regiment in Caserta (Campania)

• “Granatieri di Sardegna” Mechanized Brigade in Rome (Lazio)
• 1° “Granatieri di Sardegna” Mechanized Infantry Regiment in Rome (Lazio) with 41 Puma 6x6
• 2° “Granatieri di Sardegna” Mechanized Infantry Regiment in Spoleto (Umbria) with 41 Puma 6x6
• 8° Cavalry Regiment “Lancieri di Montebello” in Rome (Lazio) with 50 Centauro and 33 Puma 4x4
• 33° Self propelled Artillery Regiment “Acqui” in l'Aquila (Abruzzi) with 24 M109/L
• “Pinerolo” Mechanized Brigade in Bari (Apulia)
• 31° Tank Regiment (Battle lab) in Altamura (Apulia)
• 7° Bersaglieri Regiment in Bari (Apulia) with 59 VCC (M113 improved)
• 9° Infantry Regiment “Bari” in Trani (Apulia) with 59 VCC (M113 improved)
• 82° Infantry Regiment “Torino” in Barletta (Apulia) with 59 VCC (M113 improved)
• 21° Self propelled Artillery Regiment “Trieste” in Foggia (Apulia) with 24 M109/L
• 11° Engineer Regiment in Foggia (Apulia)
• “Aosta” Mechanized Brigade Messina (Sicily)
• 6° Cavalry Regiment “Lancieri d’Aosta” in Palermo (Sicily) with 50 Centauro and 33 Puma 4x4
• 6° Bersaglieri Regiment in Trapani (Sicily) with 59 VCC (M113 improved)
• 5° Infantry Regiment “Aosta” in Messina (Sicily) with 59 VCC (M113 improved)
• 62° Infantry Regiment “Sicilia” in Catania (Sicily) with 59 VCC (M113 improved)
• 24° Self propelled Artillery Regiment “Peloritani” in Messina (Sicily) with 24 M109/L
• 4° Engineer Regiment in Palermo (Sicily)
• “Sassari” Mechanized Brigade in Sassari (Sardinia)
• 151° Infantry Regiment “Sassari” in Cagliari (Sardinia) with 59 VCC (M113 improved)
• 152° Infantry Regiment “Sassari” in Sassari (Sardinia) with 59 VCC (M113 improved)
• 5° Engineer Regiment in Macomer (Sardinia)

CoTIE

“Comando Trasmissioni e ed Informazioni dell’Esercito” or CoTIE is the Italian Army’s Signal and Information Command, it resides in Anzio (Lazio) and consists of the following units:

• Signal Brigade for Maneuver Support
• 2° Signal Regiment (Alpini) in Bolzano with the Battalions:
• "Gardena"
• "Pordoi"
• 7° Signal Regiment in Sacile with the Battalions:
• "Rolle"
• "Predil"
• 11° Signal Regiment in Civitavecchia (Lazio) with the Battalions:
• "Leonessa"
• "Tonale"
• 232° Signal Regiment in Avellino (Campania) with the Battalion:
• "Fadalto".
• Signal Brigade for National Support
• 3° Signal Regiment in Rome (Lazio) with the Battalions:
• "Lanciano"
• "Abetone"
• "Gennargentu".
• 32° Signal Regiment in Padova (Veneto) with the Battalions :
• "Valles"
• "Frejus".
• 46° Signal Regiment in Palermo (Sicily) with the Battalions:
• "Mongibello"
• "Vulture".
• ISTAR & Electronic Warfare Brigade
• 33° EW Regiment “Falzarego” in Treviso (Veneto)
• 41° ISTAR Regiment “Cordenons” in Casarsa (Friuli)
• 13° ISTAR Battalion “Aquileia” in Anzio (Lazio)

Army Aviation Command

The Army Aviation Command resides in Viterbo and includes the non combat flying formations of the Army (i.e. Transport Planes, support helicopters,…)

• Army Aviation Instruction Center in Viterbo
• 1° Squadron “Auriga” in Viterbo with 6 A129, 6 AB205, 6 AB 212, 6 AB412 and 47 AB 206
• 2° Squadron “Sestante”
• 21° Squadron “Orsa Maggiore” in Elmas (Cagliari) with 12 AB 205
• Army Aviation Brigade
• 1° Army Aviation Regiment “Antares” in Viterbo (Lazio) with 36 CH-47C "Chinook" and 6 AB412
• 2° Army Aviation Regiment “Sirio” in Lamezia Terme (Calabria) with 12 AB 212 and 6 AB205
• 4° Army Aviation Regiment “Altair” in Venaria (Piedmont) and Bolzano with 18 AB 205
• 28° Army Aviation Squadron “Tucano” in Viterbo (Lazio) with 3 Dornier DO-228 and 3 Piaggio P-180
• ITALAIR Squadron in Naqoura (Lebanon) with 4 AB 205

Air Defense Brigade

• 4° Air Defense Regiment “Peschiera” in Mantova with 30 Hawk surface-to-air missile systems
• 5° Air Defense Regiment “Pescara” in Rovigo with 30 Hawk surface-to-air missile systems
• 17° Air Defense Regiment “Sforzesca” in Sabaudia with Skyguard "Aspide", SIDAM 25 and Stinger (2 Battalions)
• 121° Air Defense Regiment “Ravenna” in Bologna with Skyguard "Aspide", SIDAM 25 and Stinger

Field Artillery Brigade

• 2° Mountain Artillery Regiment (Alpini) "Grp Vicenza” in Trento (Trentino) with 24 FH-70
• 5° Rocket Artillery Regiment “Superga” in Portogruaro (Veneto) with 22 MLRS
• 7° NBC Defense Regiment “Cremona” in Civitavecchia (Lazio) with VAB in the NBC configuration
• 28° Psychological Warfare Regiment “Pavia” in Pesaro (Marche)
• 52° Self propelled Artillery Regiment “Torino” in Vercelli (Piedmont) with 32 M109/L

Engineering Brigade

• 2° Bridge Engineers Regiment in Piacenza
• 6° Pioneer Engineers Regiment in Rome
• Railway Engineers Regiment in Castel Maggiore (near Bologna; 2 Battalions)

Logistics Brigade

• 1° Maneuver Logistics Regiment in Rivoli
• 6° Maneuver Logistics Regiment in Pisa (Tuscany)
• 10° Maneuver Logistics Regiment in Persano (Campania)
• 24° Maneuver Logistics Regiment (Alpini) “btg Dolomiti” in Merano (South Tyrol)
• 1° Transport Regiment
• 6° Transport Regiment in Budrio
• 8° Transport Regiment in Orzano
• 10° Transport Regiment in Bari (Apulia)

Support units

The following support units are not under the command of COMFOTER and their role is exclusively the support of units on Italian soil. They are commanded by various sub staffs of the SME- Army General Staff in Rome.

• Training Brigade in Capua
• 1° Infantry Regiment “San Giusto” in Trieste
• 17° Infantry Regiment “Acqui” in Capua
• 47° Infantry Regiment “Ferrara” in Capua
• 57° Infantry Battalion “Abruzzi” in Sora
• 78° Infantry Regiment “Lupi di Toscana” in Florence
• 80° Infantry Regiment “Roma” in Cassino
• 85° Infantry Regiment “Verona” in Montorio Veronese
• 91° Training Battalion “Lucania” in Potenza
• 123° Infantry Regiment “Chieti” in Chieti
• 235° Infantry Regiment “Piceno” in Ascoli Piceno
• other Training units:
• 1° Tank Regiment in Capo Teulada (Sardinia)
• Technical Support and Logistics units:
• Military Region North
• 184° Signal Support Regiment in Treviso
• 2° Army Aviation Support Regiment “Orione” in Bologna
• 3° Army Aviation Support Regiment “Aquila” in Orio al Serio
• Military Region South
• 44° Signal Support Regiment in Rome
• 1° Army Aviation Support Regiment “Idra” in Bracciano
• 4° Army Aviation Support Regiment “Scorpione” in Viterbo
• Others
• 8° Transport Regiment “Casilina”
• 11° Transport Battalion “Flaminia”
• 57° Infantry Battalion “Abruzzi” in Rome

Effective operational capability

All brigades - with the exception of the home service Brigades “Aosta”, “Pinerolo” and “Granatieri di Sardegna” may be deployed outside Italy and are often involved in either war-fighting or peace-keeping operations on foreign soil. The three home service brigades have a role of 'presence and surveillance' of key Italian institutions, e.g. the “Granatieri di Sardegna” Brigade guards the capital city Rome and the Presidential Palace. They are not destined for extra-territorial missions and members expect to remain in Italy throughout their service years. The remaining eight brigades are combat brigades, numbering between 3-7,000 troops each. These units are the pride of the Italian Army and are a front-line well-equipped force capable of dealing with most emergency situations. They are characterised by quality, efficiency, motivation and mobility. In total numbers the Italian Army can field about 85,000 ground troops out of a total Army strength of 112,000 men and women. But although most units are designated as regiments they consist of one expanded Logistics, Support and Command company and a combat battalion, which- in the case of the infantry (Alpini, Bersaglieri, Granatieri, Lagunari, Fanti) units- consists of:

3 Infantry Companies

1 Mortar Company

1 Antitank Company

The naming has historical reasons. Most regiments are deployed singularly, especially the support brigades' regiments as adjuncts to combat units, formed for the task ahead.

Equipment

Weapons

• Beretta AR70/90 - 5.56mm assault rifle - also in SC version
• Beretta Model 12 - 9 mm Luger Parabellum Submachine gun
• Beretta 92FS - 9 x 19 mm NATO pistol
• Minimi - 5.56 mm light machine gun
• MG3 - 7.62mm machine gun - also in 12.7mm version
• Franchi SPAS 15 - shotgun
• Sako TGR-42 - .338 Lapua sniper rifle
• Panzerfaust 3 — Rocket propelled grenade
• Anti tank missile Milan 2
• Anti tank missile Spike
• Anti tank missile TOW
• FIM-92 Stinger - MANPADS
• 60mm Mortar

Combat vehicles

• Ariete - Main Battle Tanks ( 200 )
• Leopard 1 - Main Battle Tanks ( 120 )
• Centauro - Armour fire Support Vehicle (AFSV) ( 400 purchased, 300 in service )
• Dardo - Infantry fighting vehicle ( 200 )
• Freccia - Infantry fighting vehicle (249 ordered, delivery in 2008)
• VCC - Armoured personnel carrier (Highly modified M113) ( 1638 purchased, actual number unknown )
• Puma 6x6 - wheeled armoured personnel carrier ( 360 )
• Puma 4x4 - wheeled armoured recon vehicle ( 330 )
• Lince VTML ( 1260 )
• AAV7-A1 Amphibious vehicle

Artillery

• M109L self-propelled howitzer ( 192; 72 are beeing replaced with the PzH 2000 )
• PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer ( 72 )
• FH-70 towed howitzer ( 120 )
• MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System ( 22 )
• 120mm F1 Mortar

Aircraft inventory

The Italian Army operates 484 aircraft, including 471 helicopters.

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service[1]	Notes
Agusta A109	Italy	utility helicopter	A109A A109EOA	4 23
Agusta A129 Mangusta	Italy	attack helicopter		56
Bell 205	Italy	utility helicopter	AB 205A	89	built by Agusta
Bell 206	Italy	utility helicopter	AB 206A AB 206B	56	built by Agusta
Bell 212	Italy	transport helicopter	AB 212	12	built by Agusta
Bell 412	Italy	transport helicopter	AB 412	23	built by Agusta
Boeing CH-47 Chinook	Italy	transport helicopter	CH-47C	36	built by Agusta
Dornier Do 228	The template is . Please use instead. This usage is deprecated. Please replace it with {{tdeprecated|Italian Army|Country}}. '''The template is deprecated. Please use instead.	utility transport	Do 228-200	4
NHI NH90	European Union	transport helicopter			60 on order
Piaggio P180 Avanti	Italy	utility transport		3

Operations

A post-World War II peace treaty signed by Italy prevented the country from deploying military forces in overseas operations as well as possessing fixed-wing vessel-based aircraft for twenty-five years following the end of the war.

This treaty expired in 1970, but it would not be until 1982 that Italy first deployed troops on foreign soil, with a peacekeeping contingent being dispatched to Beirut following a United Nations request for troops. Since the 1980s, Italian troops have participated with other Western countries in peacekeeping operations across the world, especially in Africa, Balkan Peninsula and the Middle East.

As of yet, the Italian Army has not engaged in major combat operations since World War II; though Italian Special Forces have taken part in anti-Taliban operations in Afghanistan as part of Task Force 'Nibbio'. Italy was not yet a member of the United Nations in 1950, when that organization went to war with North Korea.

Italy did take part in the 1990-91 Gulf War but solely through the deployment of eight Italian Air Force Panavia Tornado IDS bomber jets to Saudi Arabia; Italian Army troops were subsequently deployed to assist Kurdish refugees in northern Iraq following the conflict.

As part of Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks, Italy contributed to the international operation in Afghanistan. Italian forces have contributed to ISAF, the NATO force in Afghanistan, and a Provincial reconstruction team and 5 Italian soldiers have died under ISAF. Italy has sent 411 troops, based on one infantry company from the 2nd Alpini Regiment tasked to protect the ISAF HQ, one engineer company, one NBC platoon, one logistic unit, as well as liaison and staff elements integrated into the operation chain of command. Italian forces also command a multinational engineer task force and have deployed a platoon of Italian military police. Three AB 212 helicopters also were deployed to Kabul.

The Italian Army did not take part in combat operations of the 2003 Second Gulf War, dispatching troops only after May 1, 2003 - when major combat operations were declared over by the U.S. President George W. Bush. Subsequently Italian troops arrived in the late summer of 2003, and began patrolling Nasiriyah and the surrounding area. On 26 May, 2006, Italian foreign minister Massimo d'Alema announced that the Italian forces would be reduced to 1,600 by June. As of June 2006 32 Italian troops have been killed in Iraq - with the greatest single loss of life coming on November 12, 2003 - a suicide car bombing of the Italian Carabinieri Corps HQ left a dozen Carabinieri, five Army soldiers, two Italian civilians, and eight Iraqi civilians dead.

As of 2006, Italy ranks third in the world in number of military forces operating in peacekeeping and peace-enforcing scenarios Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Lebanon following only the United States and United Kingdom.

A recent law promotes membership of the Italian Army guaranteeing volunteers post-Army careers in the Carabinieri, Italian State Police, Customs Police, State Forestry Department and other state bodies.

References

External links

• Official Homepage of the Italian Army (Italian)

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Esercito Italiano (Army)   Marina Militare (Navy)   Aeronautica Militare (Air Force)  Carabinieri (Military Police)