The Paratroopers Brigade "Folgore" is an airborne brigade of the Italian Army. Its core units are three battalions of paratroopers (paracadutisti). The name "Folgore" is Italian for lightning. The Folgore is one of three light infantry brigades of the Italian Army. While the Folgore specializes in parachute operations its sister brigade in the Division "Vittorio Veneto" the Airmobile Brigade Friuli specializes in helicopter assault operations. The Folgore and its units are based in Tuscany, Veneto and Lazio.
The article provides an overview of the entire chain of command and organization of the Italian Army after the reform of 1 October 2016 and includes all active units as of 1 July 2019. 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 Chief of the Army General Staff or "Capo di Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito" in Rome.
On March 1, 1984 the Italian Institute for Disarmament, Development and Peace (Istituto di ricerche per il disarmo, lo sviluppo e la pace in Rome published the entire Italian Army order of battle down to company level – this was justified by the radical party as one of its core demands was total disarmament of Europe, even though the data which was published was top secret. The Radical Party dissolved in 1989 and the IRDISP followed suit in 1990. But Radio Radicale has survived, and the OrBat can still be found today on the homepage of the radio.
The Airmobile Brigade "Friuli" is an airmobile brigade of the Italian Army, based mainly in the Emilia-Romagna region. The brigade was part of the 1st Defence Forces Command until it was transferred to the Division "Friuli". The brigade's coat of arms depicts a stylized version of the Rocca di Monfalcone castle near the city of Monfalcone in the Friuli region, where the brigade distinguished itself during World War I. Since 1 July 2019 the brigade is part of the Division "Vittorio Veneto".
The 3rd Special Operations Helicopter Regiment "Aldebaran" is an Italian Army regiment based at Viterbo Airport in Lazio. The regiment is part of the army aviation and assigned to the Airmobile Brigade "Friuli". The regiment supports unit the special forces and ranger regiments of the Army Special Forces Command.
The Mechanized Division "Folgore" was a mechanized division of the Italian Army. Its core units were three mechanized brigades. The brigades headquarters was in the city of Treviso.
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.
Operational Land Forces Command is the Italian Army's major command tasked with the operational and administrative control of most of its combat forces. COMFOTER reports directly to the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army. The command is based in Rome.
With the 1975 reforms the Italian Army abolished the regimental level and replaced it with brigades made up of multiple arms. During the reform the army disbanded 48 regimental commands and reduced its force by 87 battalions. A further ten regimental commands were used to raise ten new brigade commands. Ten training centers, which for traditional reasons had carried the names of regiments, were also disbanded. The reduction in units also allowed to mechanize most of the remaining units in Northern Italy and Italy's defense strategy changed from a hold-at-all-costs territorial defense to one of mobile warfare.
The Army Special Forces Command in Pisa is a brigade-level command of the Italian Army, which is responsible for the training, preparation, doctrinal and procedural development, and the materiel acquisition of the army's special forces and special operation forces. Operationally the units of the Army Special Forces Command fall under the Joint Special Forces Operations Command. The command was activated on 19 September 2014 in Pisa.
The 1st Army Aviation Regiment "Antares" is an Italian Army regiment based at Viterbo Airport in Lazio. The regiment is part of the Italian army aviation and assigned to the Airmobile Brigade "Friuli". Formed in 1976 as heavy lift aviation unit the regiment has been equipped since its formation with CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
The 4th Army Aviation Regiment "Altair" is an Italian Army regiment based at Bolzano Airport in South Tyrol. The regiment is part of the army aviation and assigned to the Airmobile Brigade "Friuli". Formed in 1976 as support unit of the IV Alpine Army Corps the regiment is since then responsible for helicopter operations in the Italian Alps and constitutes, together with the 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio", the Italian Army's general support aviation capability.
The 5th Army Aviation Regiment "Rigel" is an Italian Army regiment based at Casarsa Airport in Friuli Venezia Giulia. The regiment is part of the army aviation and assigned to the Airmobile Brigade "Friuli". Formed in 1976 as support unit of the V Army Corps the regiment is the oldest and highest decorated Italian aviation regiment. The regiment, together with the 7th Army Aviation Regiment "Vega", constitutes the Italian Army's combat aviation and tactical lift capability.
The 7th Army Aviation Regiment "Vega" is an Italian Army regiment based at Rimini Airport in the Emilia Romagna. The regiment is part of the army aviation and assigned to the Airmobile Brigade "Friuli". The regiment, together with the 5th Army Aviation Regiment "Rigel", constitutes the Italian Army's combat aviation and tactical lift capability.
The 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio" is an Italian Army regiment based at Lamezia Terme Airport in Calabria. The regiment is part of the army aviation and assigned to the Airmobile Brigade "Friuli". Formed in 1996 the regiment is responsible for helicopter operations in southern Italy, and on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. The regiment, together with the 4th Army Aviation Regiment "Altair", constitutes the Italian Army's general support aviation capability.
The 1st Army Aviation Support Regiment "Idra" is an Italian Army unit based at the "Oscar Savini" Airfield in Manziana in Lazio. The regiment is part of the Italian Army's army aviation and assigned to the Army Aviation Support Brigade. The regiment provides 2nd-line maintenance, upgrade and test services for the A109 and AB206 helicopters, which are in service with the Army Aviation Training Center at Viterbo Airport, and for the AB 205A, AB 212, and AB 412 helicopters, which are in service the 2nd Army Aviation Regiment "Sirio", 4th Army Aviation Regiment "Altair", and 3rd Special Operations Helicopter Regiment "Aldebaran".
The 4th Army Aviation Support Squadrons Group "Scorpione" is an Italian Army unit based at Viterbo Airport near Rome in Lazio. The squadrons group is part of the Italian army's army aviation and is assigned to the Army Aviation Support Brigade. The squadrons group provides 2nd-line maintenance, upgrade and test services for the CH-47F "Chinook" helicopters, Shadow 200 drones, and P180 Avanti II and Dornier 228 planes of the 1st Army Aviation Regiment "Antares", and to the army's flight simulators.
The 3rd Army Aviation Support Regiment "Aquila" is an Italian Army unit based at Orio al Serio Airport near Bergamo in Lombardy. The regiment is part of the Italian army's army aviation and assigned to the Army Aviation Support Brigade. The regiment provides 2nd-line maintenance, upgrade and test services for the A129D Mangusta attack helicopters of the 5th Army Aviation Regiment "Rigel" and 7th Army Aviation Regiment "Vega".
The 2nd Army Aviation Support Regiment "Orione" is an Italian Army unit based at Borgo Panigale Airport near Bologna in Emilia Romagna. The regiment is part of the Italian army's army aviation and assigned to the Army Aviation Support Brigade. The regiment provides 2nd-line maintenance, upgrade and test services for the NH90 transport helicopters of the 3rd Special Operations Helicopter Regiment "Aldebaran", 5th Army Aviation Regiment "Rigel", and 7th Army Aviation Regiment "Vega".
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Support units
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