The Italian Army is the land force branch of the Italian Armed Forces. The army's history dates back to the Italian unification in the 1850s and 1860s. The army fought in colonial engagements in China, Libya, Northern Italy against the Austro-Hungarian Empire during World War I, Abyssinia before World War II and in World War II in Albania, Balkans, North Africa, the Soviet Union, and Italy itself. During the Cold War, the army prepared itself to defend against a Warsaw Pact invasion from the east. Since the end of the Cold War, the army has seen extensive peacekeeping service and combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank and among its aircraft the Mangusta attack helicopter, recently deployed in UN missions. The headquarters of the Army General Staff are located in Rome opposite the Quirinal Palace, where the president of Italy resides. The army is an all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel.
The Alpini are the Italian Army's specialist mountain infantry. Part of the army's infantry corps, the speciality distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. Currently the active Alpini units are organized in two operational brigades, which are subordinate to the Alpine Troops Headquarters. The Alpini's name comes from their inceptive association with the Alps, the mountain range that Italy shares with France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. An individual soldier of the Alpini is called Alpino.
The Alpine Brigade "Julia" is a light infantry brigade of the Italian Army, specializing in mountain warfare. Its core units are Alpini, an infantry corps of the Italian Army, that distinguished itself during World War I and World War II. The brigade carries on the name and traditions of the 3rd Alpine Division "Julia". The division's and brigade's name allude to the Julian Alps in the Friuli region where the division's regiments recruited their troops, and where after World War II the brigade was based. Accordingly, the brigade's coat of arms is modeled after the Friuli region's coat of arms.
The Alpine Brigade "Orobica" was a light Infantry brigade of the Italian Army, specializing in mountain warfare. Its core units were Alpini, the mountain infantry corps of the Italian Army, that distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II.
The Alpine Brigade "Taurinense" is a light Infantry brigade of the Italian Army, specializing in Mountain Combat. Its core units are Alpini, the mountain infantry corps of the Italian Army, that distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. The brigade's name "Taurinense" alludes to the Roman name Augusta Taurinorum for the city of Turin around which the brigade is based. Accordingly the brigade's coat of arms is modeled after Turin's coat of arms. The brigade carries on the name and traditions of the 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense".
The Alpine Brigade "Tridentina" was a light Infantry brigade of the Italian Army, specializing in mountain warfare. Its core units were Alpini, the mountain infantry corps of the Italian Army, that distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. The Alpine Brigade "Tridentina" carried on the colours and traditions of the WWII 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina".
The 6th Alpini Regiment is a mountain warfare training regiment of the Italian Army based in Bruneck in South Tyrol. The regiment belongs to the Italian Army's Alpini infantry speciality and is assigned to the Alpine Training Center in Aosta. On 1 November 1882, the Royal Italian Army formed the 6th Alpini Regiment, which had its recruiting area initially in the Vicentine Alps, Bellunes Alps, Carnic Alps, Carnic Prealps, and the Western side of the Julian Alps. In 1887 the regiment was split to form the 7th Alpini Regiment and afterwards the regiment's recruiting area consisted of the Vicentine Alps.
The 7th Alpini Regiment is a mountain warfare regiment of the Italian Army based in Belluno in Veneto. The regiment belongs to the Italian Army's Alpini infantry speciality and is assigned to the Alpine Brigade "Julia". On 1 August 1887, the Royal Italian Army formed the 7th Alpini Regiment by splitting the 6th Alpini Regiment. The new regiment's recruiting area initially consisted of the valleys of the Bellunes Alps, Carnic Alps, Carnic Prealps, and the Western side of the Julian Alps. In 1909 the regiment was split to form the 8th Alpini Regiment and afterwards the regiment's recruiting area consisted of the Bellunes Alps.
The 9th Alpini Regiment is a mountain warfare regiment of the Italian Army based in L'Aquila in Abruzzo. The regiment belongs to the Italian Army's Alpini infantry speciality and is assigned to the Alpine Brigade "Taurinense". The regiment was formed by the Royal Italian Army on 1 July 1921. In 1935 the regiment was assigned to the 3rd Alpine Division "Julia", with which it served during World War II in the Greco-Italian War, during which the division suffered heavy losses. For its service and sacrifice on the Greek Front the 9th Alpini Regiment was awarded Italy's highest military honor the Gold Medal of Military Valor. In summer 1942 the division was transferred to the Eastern Front in the Soviet Union, where it was destroyed in winter 1942-43 during the Soviet Operation Little Saturn. The remnants of the division were repatriated in spring 1943. For its service and sacrifice on the Eastern Front the 9th Alpini Regiment was awarded a second Gold Medal of Military Valor. On 8 September 1943, the Armistice of Cassibile was announced and five days later, on 13 September 1943, invading German forces disbanded the 9th Alpini Regiment.
The 3rd Field Artillery Regiment (Mountain) (Italian: 3° Reggimento Artiglieria Terrestre (montagna)) is a field artillery regiment of the Italian Army, specializing in mountain warfare. The regiment is based in Remanzacco in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and assigned to the Alpine Brigade "Julia". The regiment was formed in 1909 by the Royal Italian Army as 2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment. In World War I the regiment's groups and batteries served on the Italian front.
The 12th Alpini Regiment is an inactive mountain warfare regiment of the Italian Army based in Pieve di Cadore in Veneto. The regiment belongs to the Italian Army's Alpini infantry speciality and was assigned to the Alpine Brigade "Cadore". The regiment was formed in 1992 and consisted of the Alpini Battalion "Pieve di Cadore", whose flag and traditions it inherited.
The 16th Regiment "Belluno" is an inactive mountain warfare regiment of the Italian Army based in Belluno in Veneto. The regiment belongs to the Italian Army's Alpini infantry speciality and was a training unit last assigned to the Alpine Troops Command. The regiment was formed in 1991 and consisted of the Alpini Battalion "Belluno", whose flag and traditions it inherited.
The 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria" was a division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II, which specialized in mountain warfare. The Alpini are a mountain infantry corps of the Italian Army, that distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. The division was formed in 1935 and based in the Puster Valley, which gave the division its name.
The 6th Mountain Artillery Regiment is an inactive mountain artillery regiment of the Italian Army, which was based in Bassano del Grappa in Veneto. The regiment was formed in 1941 by the Royal Italian Army with batteries that had served in World War I and been disbanded after the war. During World War II the regiment served in 1942 as occupation force in Montenegro and in 1943 in Liguria as coastal defence unit. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the regiment was disbanded two days later by invading German forces.
The 3rd Alpine Division "Julia" was a division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II, which specialized in mountain warfare. The Alpini that formed the divisions are a highly decorated, elite mountain corps of the Italian Army comprising both infantry and artillery units. Today the traditions and name of the 3rd Alpine Division "Julia" are carried on by the Alpine Brigade "Julia".
The 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina" was a division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II, which specialized in mountain warfare. The Alpini that formed the divisions are a highly decorated and elite mountain corps of the Italian Army comprising both infantry and artillery units. The name Tridentina was chosen as the division was based in the Trentino-South Tyrol region, for which the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini had created the neologism Venezia Tridentina. After World War II, the traditions and name of the 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina" were carried on by the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina".
The Comando Truppe Alpine or COMTA commands the Mountain Troops of the Italian Army, called Alpini and various support and training units. It is the successor to the 4º Corpo d'Armata Alpino of the Cold War. The Alpini are light Infantry units specializing in Mountain Combat. The subordinate units of the COMTA distinguished themselves during combat in World War I and World War II.
The following is a hierarchical outline for the Italian Army at the end of the Cold War. It is intended to convey the connections and relationships between units and formations.
The Alpini Battalion "Val Brenta" is an inactive battalion of the Italian Army's mountain infantry speciality, the Alpini, which distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II.
The Mountain Artillery Group "Agordo" is an inactive mountain artillery group of the Italian Army, which was based in Bassano del Grappa in Veneto. The group consisted of batteries formed in 1913 in Libya. The batteries were reformed during World War II and assigned to the Alpine Artillery Group "Val Tagliamento", which was assigned in 1943 to the 6th Alpine Artillery Regiment (Italy). The Mountain Artillery Group "Agordo" was formed in 1953 and assigned to the 6th Mountain Artillery Regiment of the Alpine Brigade "Cadore". In 1975 the group became an autonomous unit and was granted a flag and coat of arms. After the end of the Cold War the group was disbanded in 1991.
