World Military and Police Forces: Italy

Italy

Capital:Rome

Includes the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.

NATO member nation.

Historical

Roman Empire

Byzantine (Holy Roman Empire)

705 AD- Moorish and Berber raids into Sardinia

827 AD and 902 AD- Muslim conquest of Sicily

1861 Unification of Italy

Giuseppe Garibaldi

World War 1
Italian Invasion of Ethiopia
World War 2

Believed to have around 20 U.S. B61 nuclear bombs stored at Aviano Air Base in Italy. Can be used on Italian Tornado aircraft.

Believed to have around 10 U.S. B61 nuclear bombs stored at Ghedi Torre Air Base in Italy. Can be used on Italian Tornado aircraft.

Aviano Air Base in Italy used by the U.S. Air Force

U.S. 31st Fighter Wing

Air Force (Aeronautica Militare)

43,000 personnel

F-35A stealth fighter aircraft (8)

Eurofighter EF2000 fighter aircraft (62)

Panavia Tornado IDS fighter aircraft (78)

AMX light fighter/bomber aircraft. Joint project between Italy and Brazil. (64)

M.B. 339A aircraft used for training, light attack and ECM. Italian made. (81)

Aermacchi SF.260 trainer/light attack aircraft?

M-346 Master trainer aircraft (3)

Atlantique maritime patrol aircraft (7)

C-130J transport aircraft (19)

G.222 Italian made transport aircraft (3)

C-27J Spartan transport aircraft. G.222 derivative with engines and systems used on the C-130. (12)

Piaggio P180 Avanti transport aircraft (14)

Aermacchi/SIAI Marchetti S.208 aircraft used for liaison and glider training. (20)

KC-130J refueling aircraft (2)

IRIS-T air-to-air missiles

MD500 helicopters (46)

HH-3F Pelican helicopters (21)

AB212 helicopters (33)

AW139 helicopter
HH-139 helicopter

Piaggio P.1HH unmanned aerial vehicles (2)?
Design based upon the Piaggio P180 aircraft.

Retired aircraft?

F-104 Starfighter fighter aircraft?

G.91Y Italian made fighter/bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. Equipped with two 30mm cannons.?

M.B. 326 aircraft used for light attack role and training. Italian made.?

Cessna O-1 Bird Dog propeller aircraft used for training and reconnaissance?

Navy (Marina Miltare)

35,000 personnel

2 Aircraft Carriers with AV-8B Harrier II aircraft

Cavour (550)

Giuseppe Garibaldi (551)

Assault Ships (3)
Italy has three San Giorgio Class assault ships.
San Giogio
San Marco
San Giusto
The San Giorgio Class Amphibious Transport Docks can hold 350 men with 30 medium tanks or 36 tracked armored vehicles per vessel. Can Carry 3 Sea King or 5 AB-212 helicopters on deck.)

Frigates (12)

Destroyers (4)

Corvettes (8)

Submarines (6)

Patrol Boats (10)

Mine Warfare Ships (12)

Vehicle transport ships in Auxiliary
Landing ships

AV-8B Harrier II VSTOL aircraft (16)

Piaggio P180 Avanti aircraft used for training and surveillance (3)

AB212 helicopters (48)

Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King helicopters used for assault, Anti-Submarine Warfare, and Search and Rescue operations. (16)

EH101 helicopters (20)

NH-90 helicopter

UH-1N helicopters?
Scan Eagle unmanned aerial vehicles
Camcopter S-100 rotary unmanned aerial vehicles (2)

Aster 15 surface-to-air missiles

Aster 30 surface-to-air missiles

MBDA CAMM ER surface-to-air missiles to eventually replace the Aster 15.

Otomat (or TESEO)- Italian made anti-ship missiles

Aspide- Italian made surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles.

Marte Mk 1- Italian made light weight anti-ship missiles (450)?

Marte Mk 2- Italian made light weight anti-ship missiles (180)?

Black Shark Heavy torpedo

A-184 Mod 3 heavy torpedoes

Black Arrow light weight torpedo

Black Scorpion mini torpedo

Naval base on the island of Santo Stefano, off the north coast of Sardinia. Used by the U.S. Navy as a support base for nuclear submarines during the Cold War. Also used by the Italian Navy to store weapons. In 2011, weapons were believed to have been taken from Santo Stefano and smuggled to Libyan rebels by the Italian military.

Brigata Marina San Marco
San Marco Marine Brigade
AAV-7A1

VCC-1

VCC-2

Iveco VM-90

Underwater Demolition Team (UDT)/Reconnaissance Company

Army (Esercito Italiano)

104,000 personnel

Ariete- Italian made main battle tank. 120mm cannon (200)

Leopard 1 tanks (100 in reserve status)

Centauro- Italian made 8x8 wheeled tank destroyer with 105mm gun. (400)

Centauro II (in development)

Centauro tank destroyer with 120mm gun

Dardo- Italian made Infantry Fighting Vehicles with 25mm cannon and TOW missiles. (200)

VBM Freccia Italian made infantry fighting vehicle based on the Centauro

M113 Armored Personnel Carriers Some with TOW missile configurations. Some used as mortars carriers.

VCC-1 APC's (Improved M113 armored personnel carrier)

VCC-2 APC's (Improved VCC-1 armored personnel carrier)

Puma 4x4 wheeled armored vehicles

Puma 6x6 wheeled armored vehicles

AAV-7 amphibious assault vehicles

Arisgator amphibious assault vehicles. Modified M113.

IVECO MLV Lince (Lynx)

IVECO Panther LMV

Milan anti-tank guided missiles

TOW II anti-tank guided missiles

SPIKE anti-tank guided missiles

Panzerfaust 3 anti-tank rocket launchers

Folgore recoilless guns. Made by Breda.

GLX-160 under barrel grenade launchers used on the Beretta ARX-160

M203 under barrel grenade launchers

F1 120mm mortars

Hirtenberger M6-111 60mm mortars

Small Arms

Browning .50 cal machine guns

MG3 machine guns

FN Minimi machine guns

Barrett M82A1 .50 cal sniper rifles

Beretta Sniper rifles
Beretta ARX 160 assault rifles

Beretta AR70 assault rifles

Beretta AR90 assault rifles

Beretta BM 59 assault rifles 7.62mm

HK G36 assault rifles

M4 carbines

Beretta Model 12 sub-machine guns

FN P90 sub machine guns

Franchi SPAS 11 shotguns

Franchi SPAS 12 shotguns

Franchi SPAS 15 shotguns

Beretta 92FS 9mm pistols

Glock 17 9mm pistols

Glock 19 9mm pistols

Beretta Model 93R select fire pistol/machine pistol

FIM-92 Stinger shoulder fired surface-to-air missiles

Tridentina Division

2 Alpine Brigades

Brigata Alpina Taurinense
Brigata Alpina Julia

Lagunari Regiment
Part of the Pozzuolo del Friuli Brigade
Amphibious regiment of the Italian Army.
Currently wear lagoon green beret. Wore black beret before 2011.
AAV-7

Puma armored vehicles
Iveco LMV
SPIKE anti-tank guided missiles
120mm mortars

Airborne

Folgore (Thunderbolt) paratroop brigade
Maroon beret

Bersaglieri regiments
Recognized by large black capercaillie feather on hat or helmet.

Friuli Division
Ariete Armored Brigade
Sassari Mechanized Brigade (Based in Sassari, Sardinia)
Pozzuolo del Friuli Brigade (Based in Bologna)
Includes the Lagunari Regiment

Acqui Division
Garibaldi Bersaglieri Brigade
Pinerolo Mechanized Brigade
Aosta Mechanized Brigade

Army Aviation

Mangusta A129 attack helicopters. Made by AGUSTA of Italy. TOW missiles, rocket pods, Hellfire missiles, and HOT missiles.

Hirundo A109 helicopters used for attack, ECM, scouting, utility, and ambulance work. Made by AGUSTA.

CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters

UH-1 helicopters

Sikorsky CH3 helicopters used for utility and transport

NH-90 transport helicopters

RQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Mirach 100 cruise missile or drone

Mirach 26 tactical mini UAV

Artillery

MLRS- 227mm multiple rocket launchers

M110- 203mm self propelled howitzers

PzH2000- 155mm self propelled howitzers

Centauro 155/39LW
155mm self propelled howitzers based on the 8x8 wheeled Centauro chassis

M109-155mm self propelled howitzers

FH-70- 155mm towed howitzers

Oto Melara Modello 56- 105mm pack howitzers

Air Defense

SAMP/T air defense system with Aster 30 missiles

HAWK surface-to-air missiles

SPADA 2000 surface-to-air missile system. Ground version of the Aspide naval surface-to-air missile system.

FIM-92 Stinger shoulder fired surface-to-air missiles

CAMM ER surface-to-air missiles to eventually replace the SPADA

DRACO 76mm gun turret. Capable of engaging air or land targets.The turret may be placed on a tracked vehicle, an 8x8 wheeled platform like the Centauro or on a structure. Capable of using 76mm DART guided ammunition.