Structure of the Italian Army

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.[1]

See also: List of units of the Italian Army

Chief of the Army General Staff

The Chief of the Army General Staff in Rome, a four star general, commands the entire Italian Army. However the Army General Staff itself is commanded by the Deputy Chief of the Army General Staff.

Army General Staff

The Army General Staff in Rome is tasked with the study, research, development and general policy of the army. It is headed by the Deputy Chief of the Army General Staff.

  • Chief of the Army General Staff, in Rome (Lazio)[2][3]
    • Army Chief of Staff General Office
      • Public Information and Communication Office
    • Army Personnel Employment Department
    • Non-commissioned Officers Promotion Evaluation Commission
    • Sergeants Promotion Evaluation Commission
    • Troops Promotion Evaluation Commission
    • Deputy Chief of the Army General Staff
      • Deputy Chief Office
      • Military Psychology and Psychiatry Office
      • Document Flow and IT Protocol Office
      • Intendancy Directorate
        • Secretariat
        • Administrative Office
      • Surveillance Service, Prevention, and Protection Central Coordination Direction
        • Secretariat
        • Occupational Safety and Occupational Medicine Office
        • Area Surveillance Central Coordination Office
        • Environmental Protection and Cultural Heritage Office
    • 1st Personnel Legal and Economic Affairs Department
      • Secretariat
      • Department Deputy Commander
        • Recruitment, Status and Promotion Office
        • Juridical - Legal Office
        • Representation, Professional Military Unions/Associations, and Financial Treatment Office
      • Commander Army Selection and National Recruitment Center
        • Army Selection and National Recruitment Center, in Foligno (Umbria)
        • VFP1 (1 year volunteers) Selection Centers, in Foligno, Rome, Bologna, Milan, Naples, and Palermo
    • 3rd General Planning Department
      • Secretariat
      • Planning Office
      • Forces Organization Office
      • Doctrine and Lessons Learned Office
      • International Activities Office
      • Military Penitentiary Organization Command, in Santa Maria Capua Vetere (Campania)
    • 4th Logistic Department
      • Secretariat
      • Logistic Coordination Office
      • Mobility Systems Office
      • Weapons, Ammunition, NBC, and Sensors Office
      • Transformation Office
      • 3rd Dimension Vehicles and Materiels Office
    • 5th General Affairs Department
      • Secretariat
      • General Affairs Office
      • Sport Office
      • Central Logistic Grouping
        • Command Battalion, in Rome (Lazio) providing security and support to the Army General Staff
        • 11th Transport Regiment "Flaminia", in Rome (Lazio) providing transport for the Defense General Staff
      • Financial Coordination Section
    • 6th C4I Department
      • Secretariat
      • C4I Resources Planning and Coordination Office
      • C4I Systems Office
      • C2 Support Systems Office
      • Systems Integration Office
      • Army C4 Command
    • Infrastructure Department
      • Secretariat
      • Works Office
      • Infrastructure Policy Office
      • Studies and Norms Office
      • Resources Management Section
      • Coordination and Financial Management Section
    • Marketing, Publishing and History Office
      • Marketing Office
      • History Office
      • Army Publishing Center
    • General Financial Planning Office
      • Secretariat
      • Financial Planning, Budget and Statistics Office
      • Internal Management Control Office
    • General Security Office (Counterintelligence)
    • Army Unified Salary Center
    • General Office of Italian Army Administrative Responsibility Center
      • General Office Activities Coordination Office
      • Budget Office
      • Central Administrative Office
      • Corruption Prevention, Litigation, and Legal Advice Office
    • Spiritual Assistance Service

NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Italy

The NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Italy (NRDC-ITA) is a multi-national, deployable Corps headquarters assigned to NATO. It is located in Solbiate Olona and has a support brigade at its dependency.

Operational Land Forces Command and Army Operational Command

The Operational Land Forces Command and Army Operational Command (Italian: Comando delle Forze Operative Terrestri - Comando Operativo Esercito, abbreviation: COMFOTER COE) is the continuously operational command of the army. The command is headquartered in Rome. In case of war, outside of NATO's command structure, it would command the army's units.[4]

Army Special Forces Command

The Army Special Forces Command (Comando delle Forze Speciali dell'Esercito (COMFOSE)) in Pisa commands the army's special operation forces:

Army Aviation Command

The Army Aviation Command in Viterbo trains and maintains the army's non-combat flying formations, and provides four operational helicopter regiments to COMFOTER COE.

Army Aviation Training Center
  • Army Aviation Training Center, in Viterbo (Lazio)
Army Aviation Brigade
Army Aviation AB 205A helicopter
Army Aviation NH90 and CH-47F transport helicopters
Army Aviation Support Command

Army Aviation support regiments provide maintenance services and logistic support to the army's fleet of helicopters and airplanes.

Alpine Troops Command
Alpini abseiling in the Dolomites

The Alpine Troops Command (Italian: Comando Truppe Alpine, abbreviation: COMTA) commands the Mountain Troops of the Italian Army, called Alpini (English: Alpines). The command is headquartered in Bolzano.

Division "Tridentina"

The Division "Tridentina" is a deployable division headquarters within COMTA in Bolzano.

Alpine Brigade "Taurinense"
1st Field Artillery Regiment (Mountain) FH-70 howitzers
8th Alpini Regiment mortar team

Alpine Brigade "Julia"
3rd Field Artillery Regiment (Mountain) at the Hohenfels Training Area

Alpine Training Center

The Alpine Training Center trains Italian troops in mountain warfare and winter warfare and its 6th Alpini Regiment prepares and manages the army's military exercises in the Puster Valley.

Territorial Areas

The COMTA also controls five administrative Army Military Commands tasked with public duties, recruitment, administration of the reserves, public information, and promotional activities. The Army Military Command "Trentino-Alto Adige" covering the Trentino-Alto Adige/SouthTyrol region is an integral part of COMALP:

Northern Operational Forces Command

The Northern Operational Forces Command (Italian: Comando Forze Operative Nord, abbreviation: COMFOP Nord) commands the brigades in the North of Italy. The command is headquartered in Padua and successor to the army's V Army Corps.[10]

  • Northern Operational Forces Command, in Padua (Veneto)

Division "Vittorio Veneto"

The Division "Vittorio Veneto" is a deployable division command headquartered in Florence.

Airmobile Brigade "Friuli"
5th Army Aviation Regiment "Rigel" A129D Mangusta attack helicopters
7th Army Aviation Regiment "Vega" NH90 transport helicopters
Cavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli"

The brigade forms with the Italian navy's 3rd Naval Division, and San Marco Marine Brigade the Italian military's National Sea Projection Capability (Forza di proiezione dal mare).

132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete"
8th Tank Battalion "M.O. Secchiaroli" / 132nd Tank Regiment Ariete main battle tanks
Paratroopers Brigade "Folgore"
Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria" (3rd) Centauro tank destroyer

Territorial Areas

The COMFOP Nord also controls eight administrative Army Military Commands tasked with public duties, recruitment, administration of the reserves, public information, and promotional activities. The Army Military Command "Veneto" covering the Veneto region is an integral part of COMFOP Nord:

Southern Operational Forces Command

The Southern Operational Forces Command (Italian: Comando Forze Operative Sud, abbreviation: COMFOP Sud) commands the brigades in the South of Italy and on the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. The command is headquartered in Naples.[11]

Division "Acqui"
Regiment "Lancieri di Montebello" (8th) on exercise
Regiment “Lancieri di Montebello” (8th) on public duties

The Division "Acqui" is a deployable division headquartered in Capua near Naples.

Mechanized Brigade "Granatieri di Sardegna"
Mechanized Brigade "Aosta"
Mechanized Brigade Aosta mortar teams
Mechanized Brigade "Pinerolo"
21st Field Artillery Regiment "Trieste" FH-70 howitzer battery
11th Engineer Regiment during an exercise
Mechanized Brigade "Sassari"
3rd Bersaglieri Regiment lieutenant with her radioman during an exercise in Sardinia
Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi"
4th Tank Regiment Ariete main battle tank
1st Bersaglieri Regiment Dardo IFVs

Territorial Areas

The COMFOP Sud also controls six administrative Army Military Commands tasked with public duties, recruitment, administration of the reserves, public information, and promotional activities. The Army Military Command "Campania" covering the Campania region is an integral part of COMFOP Sud:

Operational Land Forces Support Command

The Operational Land Forces Support Command (Italian: Comando delle Forze Operative Terrestri di Supporto, abbreviation: COMFOTER SUPPORT) in Verona commands the army's operational support units.[12]

Artillery Command
Artillery School/Training Regiment PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer

The Artillery Command in Bracciano commands the specialized artillery regiments of the army and trains all officers and troops destined for artillery units:

Anti-aircraft Artillery Command
17th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Sforzesca" soldiers with a portable CPM-Drone Jammer in Rome

The Anti-aircraft Artillery Command in Sabaudia commands the army's air defense units and trains all officers and troops destined for air defense units:

Engineer Command
2nd Bridge Engineer Regiment ferrying a Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria" (3rd) Centauro tank destroyer across the Po

The Engineer Command in Rome-Cecchignola commands the specialized engineer regiments of the army and trains all officers and troops destined for engineer units:

Signal Command

The Signal Command in Anzio commands the army's signal regiments and trains all officers and troops destined for signal units:

Tactical Intelligence Brigade
41st Regiment "Cordenons" operator launching a RQ-11B Raven in the Dolomites with a Squire radar in the background
41st Regiment "Cordenons" operator launching a Bramor C4EYE

The Tactical Intelligence Brigade (formerly called RISTA-EW Brigade) in Anzio is the army's sole Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) & Electronic Warfare (EW) unit.

Logistic Support Command

The Logistic Support Command in Rome trains officers and troops destined for logistic units and provides operational logistic support with two specialized logistic regiments and four medical battalions.

  • Logistic Support Command, in Rome (Lazio)
    • Transport and Materiel School/Training Regiment, in Rome (Lazio)
    • Transit Areas Management Regiment – RSOM (Reception Staging and Onward Movement), in Bellinzago Novarese (Lombardy), managing the deployment of forces for out-of-area operations
      • Logistic Battalion, Bellinzago Novarese (Lombardy)
      • Transit Areas Management Battalion, in Bellinzago Novarese (Lombardy)
      • Logistic Battalion, in Bari (Apulia)
      • Transit Areas Management Battalion, in Bari (Apulia)
    • 6th General Logistic Support Regiment, in Budrio (Emilia-Romagna)
      • Transport Battalion, in Budrio (Emilia-Romagna)
      • Movement Control Battalion, in Budrio (Emilia-Romagna)
    • 1st Medical Battalion "Torino", in Turin (Piedmont)
    • 3rd Medical Battalion "Milano", in Bellinzago Novarese (Lombardy)
    • 4th Medical Battalion "Bolzano", in Rome (Lazio)
    • 10th Medical Battalion "Napoli", in Persano (Campania)

Each medical battalion fields one command and logistic support company, one medical company with a field hospital, and one medical evacuations company.

Capital Military Command

The Capital Military Command (Italian: Comando Militare della Capitale) in Rome is tasked with managing army events in Rome and oversees the administrative "Lazio" and "Toscana" Army Military Commands tasked with public duties, recruitment, administration of the reserves, public information, and promotional activities in the Lazio region. Additionally the command manages the army's Monte Romano training range, the army's museums in Rome and the army band, as well as the Italian military's Geographic Institute.

  • Capital Military Command, in Rome (Lazio)

Army Logistic Command

The Army Logistic Command (Italian: Comando Logistico dell'Esercito, abbreviation: COMLOG) in Rome manages the entire logistics of the Army.

  • Army Logistic Command, in Rome (Lazio)
    • Materiel and Transport Command, in Rome
    • Commissary Command, in Rome
    • Technical Command, in Rome
      • Multifunctional Experimentation Center, in Montelibretti (Lazio)
      • Military Technical-Logistical CBRN Center, in Civitavecchia (Lazio)
    • Medical and Veterinary Command, in Rome
      • Military Veterinary Center, in Grosseto (Tuscany)
      • Military Medical Center, in Milan (Lombardy)
    • Military General Hospital, in Rome

Training, Specialization and Doctrine Command

The Training, Specialization and Doctrine Command (Italian: Comando per la Formazione, Specializzazione e Dottrina dell'Esercito, abbreviation: COMFORDOT) in Rome trains the army's troops and develops the army's doctrine and education policies.[13]

Army Structure - Visual overview
Structure of the Italian Army after the 2016 reform (click to enlarge).

Army Geographical Distribution
132 Art.
52 Art.
185 Art.
121 AirDef
Railway Eng.
66 Infantry
Horse Artillery
8 Artillery
151 Infantry
152 Infantry
5 Infantry
24 Artillery
62 Infantry
6 Pioneer
9 Infantry
82 Infantry
21 Artillery
3 Eng.
7 NBC Def
28 PsyOps
4 AirDef
17 AirDef
2 Bridge Eng.
41 Cordenons
13 Rgt.
33 EW
Unit Locations (Signal and Logistic units not included)

References
  1. http://www.esercito.difesa.it/root/unita_sez/unita_unita.asp
  2. "General Staff of the Army". Italian Army. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  3. "Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito". Italian Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  4. "Operational Land Forces Command and Army Operational Command". Italian Army. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  5. Scarpitta, Alberto. "Il potenziamento del Comando Forze Speciali dell'Esercito". Analisi Difesa. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  6. "L'Aviazione dell'Esercito di Viterbo impiegata per le operazioni di soccorso su tutto il territorio nazionale". Esercito Italiano. Italian Army. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  7. "Altri 15 AW-169M per l'Esercito Italiano". RID - Portale Difesa. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  8. "Programma Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) Esercito Italiano - acquisizione elicotteri AW-169 in configurazione Multiruolo Avanzato" (PDF). Ministry of Defense. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  9. "Obice da 155/39 FH-70". Esercito Italiano. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  10. "Northern Operational Forces Command". Italian Army. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  11. "Southern Operational Forces Command". Italian Army. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  12. "Operational Land Forces Support Command". Italian Army. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  13. "Training, Specialization and Doctrine Command". Italian Army. Retrieved 8 July 2019.

See also
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