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 article provides an overview of the entire chain of command and organization of the Italian Army after the reform of 1 May 2024 and includes all active units as of 1 May 2024. 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.
The 10th Infantry Division "Piave" was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. At the beginning of World War II Piave was classified as an auto-transportable division, meaning it had some motorized transport, but not enough to move the entire division at once. On 15 July 1941 the division reorganized to a fully motorized division and was renamed 10th Motorized Division "Piave". The division was named after the river Piave, where during World War I Italy and Austria fought three major battles. The division had its recruiting area in Veneto and its headquarters in Padua. Its two infantry regiments were based in Vicenza (57th) and Padua (58th), with the division's artillery regiment also based in Padua.
The V Army Corps was one of three corps the Italian Army fielded during the Cold War. Based in the regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia-Giulia the corps was the army's main combat force. The 5th Army Corps was arrayed close to the Yugoslavian border and tasked with meeting any Warsaw Pact forces that crossed the border. On the left flank of the corps the 4th Alpine Army Corps was tasked with blocking the Alpine passes and in the rear of the corps the 3rd Army Corps served as operational reserve. After the end of the Cold War the corps was reduced in size and on 1 October 1997 it became the 1st Defence Forces Command. In 2013 the COMFOD 1° was disbanded and its function and brigades taken over by the 20th Infantry Division Friuli in Florence.
The Motorized Brigade "Acqui" was an infantry brigade of the Italian Army, based in the centre of the Italian peninsula. The brigade's name was one of the oldest of the Italian Army and connected the brigade to its original area of recruitment around the city of Acqui. The brigade was disbanded in 1996, but re-raised as a deployable division command in 2003 and elevated to full division with assigned brigades in 2013.
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.
The Division "Tridentina" Italian: Divisione "Tridentina" is one of three active divisions of the Italian Army. The division is based in Bolzano in the province of South Tyrol and part of the Alpine Troops Command in the same city. The division carries on the name and traditions of the World War II Royal Italian Army 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina" and the Cold War Italian Army Alpine Brigade "Tridentina".
The Division "Vittorio Veneto" Italian: Divisione "Vittorio Veneto" is one of three active divisions of the Italian Army. The division is based in Florence in Tuscany and part of the Operational Land Forces Command. The division carries on the name and traditions of the Cold War Italian Army Armored Brigade "Vittorio Veneto". Brigade and division were named for the decisive Italian World War I victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto.
The 183rd Paratroopers Regiment "Nembo" is an active unit of the Italian Army based in Pistoia in Tuscany. The regiment is part of the Italian Army's infantry arm's Paracadutisti speciality and assigned to the Paratroopers Brigade "Folgore".
The 3rd Regiment "Granatieri di Sardegna" is a unit of the Italian Army's infantry arm's Granatieri (Grenadiers) speciality. The regiment was active for a short time in 1849 during the First Italian War of Independence and then reformed in 1926 and assigned to the Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna". In 1935-36 the regiment's I Battalion fought in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. In 1939 the regiment became an autonomous unit and moved to Tirana in occupied Albania. There the regiment was renamed 3rd Regiment "Granatieri di Sardegna e d'Albania" and participated in the Greco-Italian War. For its conduct during the war the regiment was awarded Italy highest military honor the Gold Medal of Military Valor. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the regiment was disbanded by invading German forces.
The 82nd Infantry Regiment "Torino" is an active unit of the Italian Army based in Barletta in Apulia. The regiment is named for the city of Turin and part of the Italian Army's infantry arm. As of 2023 the regiment is assigned to the Mechanized Brigade "Pinerolo".
The 17th Volunteer Training Regiment "Acqui" is an active unit of the Italian Army based in Capua in Campania. The regiment is named for the city of Acqui and was originally part of the Italian Army's infantry arm until it became a training unit and was redesignated as a "multi-arms unit" in 2004. The regiment was formed on 19 December 1821 by the Royal Sardinian Army as Brigade of "Acqui", with the troops of the Brigade of "Alessandria", who had remained loyal during the revolt in Piedmont in spring 1821 and were retained in service after the Brigade of "Alessandria" was disbanded on 31 May 1821. Later the Royal Italian Army allowed the two regiments of the Brigade "Acqui" to claim the traditions and honors of the Brigade of "Alessandria", for which reason the regiment's founding is today considered to be 27 October 1703.
The 80th Regiment "Roma" is an active unit of the Italian Army based in Monte Romano in Lazio. The regiment is named for the city of Rome and was part of the Italian Army's infantry arm until 2004, when it became a training unit and was redesignated as a "multi-arms unit" and designated 80th Volunteer Training Regiment "Roma". In December 2023 the regiment became a training support unit at the Monte Romano training range with the new name 80th Regiment "Roma".
The 52nd Field Artillery Regiment "Torino" is an artillery regiment of the Italian Army trained for divisional artillery support. Since September 2020 the regiment is based together with the 8th Field Artillery Regiment "Pasubio" in Persano in Campania. The regiment is assigned to the army's Artillery Command.
The 13th infantry Regiment "Pinerolo" is an active unit of the Italian Army based in Bari in Apulia. The regiment is named for the city of Pinerolo and part of the Italian Army's infantry arm. On 1 October 2022, the name, flag and traditions of the regiment were assigned to the Command and Tactical Supports Unit "Pinerolo" of the Mechanized Brigade "Pinerolo". On the same day the unit was renamed 13th Command and Tactical Supports Unit "Pinerolo". The regiment was formed on 19 December 1821 by the Royal Sardinian Army as Brigade of "Pinerolo", with the troops of the Brigade of "Saluzzo", who had remained loyal during the revolt in Piedmont in spring 1821 and were retained in service after the Brigade of "Saluzzo" was disbanded on 31 May 1821. Later the Royal Italian Army allowed the two regiments of the Brigade "Pinerolo" to claim the traditions and honors of the Brigade of "Saluzzo", for which reason the regiment's founding year is today considered to be 1672.
The 45th Infantry Regiment "Reggio" is an active unit of the Italian Army based in Sassari in Sardinia. The unit is named for the city of Reggio Emilia and part of the Italian Army's infantry arm. On 1 October 2022, the name, flag and traditions of the regiment were assigned to the Command and Tactical Supports Unit "Sassari" of the Mechanized Brigade "Sassari". On the same day the unit was renamed 45th Command and Tactical Supports Unit "Reggio". On 1 July 1859, during the Second Italian War of Independence, a Volunteer Battalion was formed in Modena. By 29 July, three volunteer battalions had been formed and the three battalions were used to form the 3rd Infantry Regiment. In August 1860, the regiment was assigned, together with the 4th Infantry Regiment, to the newly formed Brigade "Reggio" of the Army of the League of Central Italy. On 1 January 1860, the 3rd Infantry Regiment was renumbered 45th Infantry Regiment, and on 25 March 1860, the regiment joined the Royal Sardinian Army.
The 78th Infantry Regiment "Lupi di Toscana" is an active unit of the Italian Army based in Florence in Tuscany. The regiment is named for the region of Tuscany and part of the Italian Army's infantry arm. On 1 October 2022 the name, flag and traditions of the regiment were assigned to the Command and Tactical Supports Unit "Vittorio Veneto" of the Division "Vittorio Veneto".
The 57th Infantry Regiment "Abruzzi" is an active unit of the Italian Army based in Capua in Campania. The unit is named for the region of Abruzzo and part of the Italian Army's infantry arm. On 1 October 2022, the name, flag and traditions of the regiment were assigned to the Command and Tactical Supports Unit "Acqui" of the Division "Acqui". On the same day the unit was renamed 57th Command and Tactical Supports Unit "Abruzzi".
The 87th Infantry Regiment "Friuli" is an active unit of the Italian Army based in Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna. The regiment is named for the region of Friuli and part of the Italian Army's infantry arm. On 1 October 2022 the name, flag and traditions of the regiment were assigned to the Command and Tactical Supports Unit "Friuli" of the Airmobile Brigade "Friuli".
The 20th Artillery Regiment "Piave" is an inactive field artillery regiment of the Italian Army, which was based in Maniago in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Originally an artillery regiment of the Royal Italian Army, the regiment was formed in 1888 and served in World War I on the Italian front. In 1935 the regiment was assigned to the 10th Infantry Division "Piave", with which the regiment served in World War II. After the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943, the division and its regiments were disbanded on 10 September by invading German forces.
