Regio Esercito
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The Regio Esercito (Italian Royal Army) is one of the four branches of the Italian Military. Italy currently has over 73 divisions, each at least 10,000 strong. Although only Italians were allowed to serve in the Royal Army, in 1930's, reforms allowed for segregated, colonial divisions that worked in conjunction with Italian divisions. In the 1960's non-segregated units were experimented with, but there are still few of them. The headquarters of the Army General Staff are in Rome, opposite the Premier Palace.
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[edit] Organization
The Armed Forces of Italy are under the command of the Italian Supreme Defense Council, presided over by the King of Italy. The Italian Royal Army is commanded by the SME or “Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito” (Chief of the Army General Staff) in Rome. The Chief of staff has direct control of all support and logistics operations in Italy and its colonies. (i.e. military clinics, repair facilities, acquisitions,…), but no direct control of the operational forces, which are all assigned to and commanded by COMFOTER: “Comando delle Forze Operative Terrestri” (Command of Operational Land Forces).
[edit] Divisions
The Regio Esercito fields the following types of divisions: Alpini (Mountain), Armoured, Blackshirt, Celere (Fast), Coastal, Infantry, Libyan, Mechanized, North African, Airborne. This is a list of all divisions operated by the Royal Army and where they are stationed.
[edit] Alpini Divisions
- 1 Alpini Division Taurinense (Milan, Italy)
- 2 Alpini Division Tridentina (Turin, Italy)
- 3 Alpini Division Julia (Trento, Italy)
- 4 Alpini Division Cuneense (Trieste, Italy)
- 5 Alpini Division Pusteria (Perugia, Italy)
- 6 Alpini Division Alpi Graie (Tirana, Alabania)
[edit] Armoured Divisions
- Italian 131 Armoured Division Centauro (Bologna, Italy)
- Italian 132 Armoured Division Ariete (Rome, Italy)
- Italian 133 Armoured Division Littorio (Tirana, Albania)
- Italian 134 Armoured Division Freccia (Palermo, Italy)
- Italian 135 Armoured Division Ariete II (Asmara, Eritrea)
- Italian 136 Armoured Division Centauro II (Tripoli, Libya)
[edit] Blackshirt Divisions
- Italian 1 Blackshirt Division 23 Marzo (Venice, Italy)
- Italian 2 Blackshirt Division 28 Ottobre (Cagliari, Italy)
- Italian 3 Blackshirt Division 21 Aprile (Aosta, Italy)
- Italian 4 Blackshirt Division 3 Gennaio (Genoa, Italy)
- Italian 5 Blackshirt Division 1 Febbraio (Catanzaro, Italy)
- Italian 6 Blackshirt Division Tevere (Potenza, Italy)
- Italian 7 Blackshirt Division Cirene (Naples, Italy)
- Italian M Blackshirt Armoured Division (Rome, Italy)
[edit] Celere Divisions
- Italian 1 Celere Division Eugenio di Savoia (Potenza, Italy)
- Italian 2 Celere Division Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro (Perugia, Italy)
- Italian 3 Celere Division Amedeo Duca d'Aosta (Milan, Italy)
[edit] Coastal Divisions
- Italian 201 Coastal Division (Rome, Italy)
- Italian 202 Coastal Division (Messina, Italy)
- Italian 203 Coastal Division (Palermo, Italy)
- Italian 204 Coastal Division (Genoa, Italy)
- Italian 205 Coastal Division (Venice, Italy)
- Italian 206 Coastal Division (Florence, Italy)
- Italian 207 Coastal Division (Livorno, Italy)
- Italian 208 Coastal Division (Trieste, Italy)
- Italian 209 Coastal Division (Tirana, Alabania)
- Italian 210 Coastal Division (Tirana, Albania)
- Italian 211 Coastal Division (L'Aquila, Italy)
- Italian 212 Coastal Division (Taranto, Italy)
- Italian 213 Coastal Division (Sassari, Italy)
- Italian 214 Coastal Division (Ravenna, Italy)
- Italian 215 Coastal Division (Livorno, Italy)
- Italian 216 Coastal Division (Cantania, Italy)
- Italian 220 Coastal Division (Ausgusta, Italy)
- Italian 221 Coastal Division (Reggia di Calabria, Italy)
- Italian 222 Coastal Division (Valletta, Malta)
- Italian 223 Coastal Division (Birkirkara, Malta)
- Italian 224 Coastal Division (Tripoli, Libya)
- Italian 225 Coastal Division (Asmara, Eritrea)
- Italian 226 Coastal Division (Banghazi, Libya)
- Italian 227 Coastal Division (Mogodishu, Italian Somaliland)
- Italian 230 Coastal Division (Vence, Italy)
[edit] Infantry Divisions
- Italian 1 Infantry Division Superga
- Italian 2 Infantry Division Sforzesca
- Italian 3 Infantry Division Ravenna
- Italian 4 Infantry Division Livorno
- Italian 5 Infantry Division Cosseria
- Italian 6 Infantry Division Cuneo
- Italian 7 Infantry Division Lupi di Toscana (Florence, Italy)
- Italian 9 Infantry Division Pasubio
- Italian 10 Infantry Division Piave
- Italian 11 Infantry Division Brennero
- Italian 12 Infantry Division Sassari
- Italian 13 Infantry Division Re
- Italian 14 Infantry Division Isonzo
- Italian 15 Infantry Division Bergamo
- Italian 16 Infantry Division Pistoia
- Italian 17 Infantry Division Pavia
- Italian 18 Infantry Division Messina
- Italian 19 Infantry Division Venezia
- Italian 20 Infantry Division Friuli
- Italian 21 Infantry Division Granatieri di Sardegna (Tirana, Albania)
- Italian 22 Infantry Division Cacciatori delle Alpi (Tirana, Albania)
- Italian 23 Infantry Division Ferrara
- Italian 24 Infantry Division Pinerolo
- Italian 25 Infantry Division Bologna
- Italian 26 Infantry Division Assietta
- Italian 27 Infantry Division Brescia
- Italian 28 Infantry Division Aosta
- Italian 29 Infantry Division Piemonte
- Italian 30 Infantry Division Sabauda
- Italian 31 Infantry Division Calabria
- Italian 32 Infantry Division Marche
- Italian 33 Infantry Division Acqui
- Italian 36 Infantry Division Forli
- Italian 37 Infantry Division Modena
- Italian 38 Infantry Division Puglie
- Italian 40 Infantry Division Cacciatori d'Africa (Tripoli, Libya)
- Italian 41 Infantry Division Firenze
- Italian 44 Infantry Division Cremona
- Italian 47 Infantry Division Bari
- Italian 48 Infantry Division Taro
- Italian 49 Infantry Division Parma
- Italian 50 Infantry Division Regina
- Italian 51 Infantry Division Siena
- Italian 52 Infantry Division Torino
- Italian 53 Infantry Division Arezzo
- Italian 54 Infantry Division Napoli
- Italian 55 Infantry Division Savona
- Italian 56 Infantry Division Casale
- Italian 57 Infantry Division Lombardia
- Italian 58 Infantry Division Legnano
- Italian 59 Infantry Division Cagliari
- Italian 60 Infantry Division Sabratha
- Italian 61 Infantry Division Sirte
- Italian 62 Infantry Division Marmarica
- Italian 63 Infantry Division Cirene
- Italian 64 Infantry Division Catanzaro
- Italian 65 Infantry Division Granatieri di Savoia (Genoa, Italy)
- Italian 80 Infantry Division La Spezia
- Italian 136 Infantry Division Giovani Fascisti (Rome, Italy)
- Italian 151 Infantry Division Perugia
- Italian 152 Infantry Division Piceno
- Italian 153 Infantry Division Macerata
- Italian 154 Infantry Division Murge
- Italian 155 Infantry Division Emilia
- Italian 156 Infantry Division Vicenza
- Italian 157 Infantry Division Novara
- Italian 158 Infantry Division Zara
- Italian 159 Infantry Division Veneto
[edit] Libyan Divisions
- Italian 1 Libyan Division Sibelle (Tripoli, Libya)
- Italian 2 Libyan Division Pescatori (Bengahzi, Libya)
[edit] Mechanized Divisions
- Italian 101 Mechanized Division Trieste (Trieste, Italy)
- Italian 102 Mechanized Division Trento (Trento, Italy)
- Italian 11 Mechanized Division Brennero (Brennero, Italy)
- Italian 4 Mechanized Division Livorno (Livorno, Italy)
- Italian 10 Mechanized Division Piave (Piave, Italy)
- Italian 3 Mechanized Division P.A.D.A (Rome, Italy)
- Italian 20 Mechanized Division Friuli (Tirana, Albania)
- Italian 136 Mechanized Division Giovani Fascisti (Tripoli, Libya)
[edit] North African Infantry Divisions
- Italian 17 Infantry Division Pavia (Benghazi, Libya)
- Italian 25 Infantry Division Bologna (Benghazi, Libya)
- Italian 27 Infantry Division Brescia (Asmara, Eritrea)
- Italian 55 Infantry Division Savona (Asmara, Eritrea)
- Italian 60 Infantry Division Sabratha (Asmara, Eritrea)
- Italian 61 Infantry Division Sirte (Mogadishu, Italian Somaliland)
- Italian 62 Infantry Division Marmarica (Mogadishu, Italian Somaliland)
- Italian 63 Infantry Division Cirene (Mogadishu, Italian Somaliland)
- Italian 64 Infantry Division Catanzaro (Mogadishu, Italian Somaliland)
[edit] Airborne Divisions
- Italian 183 Parachutist Division Ciclone (Milan, Italy)
- Italian 184 Parachutist Division Nembo (Rome, Italy)
- Italian 185 Parachutist Division Folgore (Palermo, Italy)
[edit] Equipment
The Italian arms manufacturing industry has boomed in recent years, and oil discoveries in Libya have granted the Royal Army the nickname, "the well oiled machine." The main supplers of Italian arms are domestic companies, such as Fiat and Semovente. There are also many weapons from Russia in use in the Italian army.
[edit] Weapons
- Beretta AR70/90 - 5.56mm assault rifle - also in SC version
- Beretta Model 12 - 9 mm Luger Parabellum Submachine gun
- Beretta 92FS - 9 x 19 mm NATO pistol
- Minimi - 5.56 mm light machine gun
- MG3 - 7.62mm machine gun - also in 12.7mm version
- Franchi SPAS 15 - shotgun
- Sako TGR-42 - .338 Lapua sniper rifle
- Panzerfaust 3 — Rocket propelled grenade
- Anti tank missile Milan 2
- Anti tank missile Spike
- Anti tank missile TOW
- FIM-92 Stinger - MANPADS
- 60mm Mortar
[edit] Armoured Vehicles
The Italian designation system for tanks consisted of a letter (L, M or P; designating light, medium and heavy tanks respectively) followed by two numbers: one giving the approximate weight in tons, the other giving the year it was accepted for service. Thus "M11/39" means the 11 ton medium tank of 1939.
[edit] Combat Vehicles
- Fiat M46/89 Main Battle Tank
- Fiat M54/95 "Ariete" Main Battle Tank
- Fiat L35/75 Main Battle Tank
- Fiat P62/96 Main Battle Tank
- B1 Centauro Armour Fire Support Vehicle
- Dardo Infantry Fighting Vehicle
- Freccia Infantry Fighting Vehicle
- Autoblinda 80 Armoured Personnel Carrier
- Autoblinda 81 Armoured Personnel Carrier
- Puma 6x6 Armoured Personnel Carrier
- Puma 4x4 Armoured Recon Vehicle
- VTLM Lince Infantry Mobility Vehicle
[edit] Artillery
- Semovente 55/86 155mm self-propelled howitzer
- Semovente 28/80 155mm self-propelled howitzer
- Semovente 5/78 155mm towed howitzer
- OTO Melara Mod 56 105mm towed pack howitzer
- FH-70 155mm towed howitzer
- 120mm F1 Mortar
- MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System
[edit] Helicopters
- Agusta A109 Utility Helicopter
- Bell 205 Utility Helicopter
- Bell 206 Utility Helicopter
- Bell 212 Transport Helicopter
- Bell 412 Transport Helicopter
- Boeing CH-47 Chinook Transport Helicopter
- NHI NH90 Transport Helicopter
- Piaggio P180 Avanti Utility Transport Helicopter
- Agusta A129 Mangusta Attack Helicopter
- Mil Mi-24 Hind Attack Helicopter
- Mil Mi-28 Havoc Attack Helicopter
- Mil Mi-8 Hip Transport Helicopter
