1975 Italian Army reforms

With the 1975 reforms the Italian Army abolished the regimental level and replaced it with brigades made up of multiple arms (including for example armour, infantry, and artillery). During the reform the army disbanded 48 regimental commands and reduced its force by 87 battalions.[1] 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 reform was pushed through by General Andrea Cucino. Having become Chief of the General Staff of the Army on 1 February 1975,[2] Cucino, concerned with the number of under-manned and under-equipped units, ordered an immediate review of the army's structure. After two months Cucino and his staff presented a plan to restructure the entire army, and having secured an additional 1,100 billion Lire over 10 years to modernize the army's equipment, Cucino ordered the reform to begin with 1 September 1975. By 31 November 1975 the reform concluded and the army's organs, units, doctrine, training, and organization had been thoroughly and radically altered.[1] After the reform operational units were at 93% readiness, with the Armored Division "Ariete" and the Anti-aircraft Artillery Command at 100% readiness.

Third Army

[edit]

As a founding member of NATO Italy was obliged to assign its military forces to NATO's integrated military command in case of war. While the Italian Air Force's operational units would have come under NATO's 5th Allied Tactical Air Force (5 ATAF) in Vicenza, the Italian Army would have come under NATO's Allied Land Forces Southern Europe (LANDSOUTH) in Verona. However, as tensions between Italy and Yugoslavia over the Free Territory of Trieste were high after World War II and as Yugoslavia was not a Warsaw Pact member a conflict between the two countries would have likely not involved NATO. Therefore, on 1 May 1952 the Italian Army re-activated the Third Army in Padua to be able to act outside NATO's chain of command in case a war would break out between Italy and Yugoslavia.[3] Third Army duplicated the functions of LANDSOUTH with a purely Italian staff. To not violate NATO's integrated military command Italy described Third Army in all official documents as "the command designated Third Army" (il Comando Designato 3a Armata) and assigned no combat units to it during peacetime.[citation needed]

In case of war Third Army would have commanded the V Army Corps in Vittorio Veneto and the Carnia-Cadore Troops Command of the IV Alpine Army Corps. The latter command, based in San Daniele del Friuli, had been specifically created to be able to split the IV Alpine Army Corps' area of operation in case of war with Yugoslavia. Reinforcements for Third Army would have come from the III Army Corps in Milan and the VI Army Corps in Bologna.[citation needed]

With the easing of tensions between Italy and Yugoslavia, which culminated in the division of the Free Territory of Trieste with the Treaty of Osimo in 1975, the army disbanded Third Army, along with the VI Army Corps, on 1 April 1972. With the 1975 reform the last traces of Third Army's existence were eliminated: the Carnia-Cadore Troops Command was disbanded and the support units that had supported the Command Designated Third Army were reassigned or disbanded. Furthermore, the army significantly reduced its forces in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region along the Yugoslavian-Italian border: 17 regimental commands and 28 battalions were disbanded and a further six regimental commands were transformed into brigade commands. In total about a third of the pre-reform personnel were withdrawn from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region as a goodwill gesture to Yugoslavia.[citation needed]

Personnel and training

[edit]

As part of the reform the military service length for the army was reduced from 15 to 12 months (Article 40, Law nr. 191, 31 May 1975). Subsequently, the army reduced its personnel strength from 285,000 to 240,000. At the same time the training of recruits was radically altered: until 1975 all recruits received their basic training at ten Recruits Training Centers (Centro Addestramento Reclute - CAR) and were assigned only afterwards to their units. With the reform all higher commands were assigned Recruits Training Battalions (Battaglione Addestramento Reclute - BAR), which trained the recruits assigned to the command's units.

Another part of the reform focused on the selection of the army's squad leaders. Until the reform squad leaders were chosen prior to their arrival at the army's Recruits Training Centers based on their army physical and their prior civilian education. Their actually ability to lead a squad was not taken into account and therefore General Cucino ended this practice. Forthwith the company commanders of the Recruits Training Battalions chose future squad leaders among their best recruits.[1]

Naming conventions

[edit]

Numerals

[edit]

Until the 1975 reform the army alternated the numbering of its units between Roman numerals and Arabic numerals. With the reform the use of Roman numerals was discontinued. The table below gives an overview of the units of the army and the use of numerals before 1975:

Unit type Numerals Commanding officer rank (NATO code) Notes
Army Arabic General (Generale - OF-10) The army's only active field army, the 3ª Armata, was disbanded on 1 April 1972.
Army Corps, Inspectorate (Ispettorato), Military Region (Regione Militare) Roman Lieutenant General (Generale di Corpo d'Armata - OF-8) Inspectorates and Military Regions were administrative formations.
Division, Troops Command (Comando Truppe), Service Command (Comando del Servizio) Arabic Major General (Generale di Divisione - OF-7) Service Commands were administrative formations.
Brigade Roman Brigadier General (Generale di Brigata - OF-6)
Regiment, Grouping (Raggruppamento) Arabic Colonel (Colonnello - OF-5) Groupings were administrative formations.
Battalion, Group, Squadrons Group, Unit (Reparto) Roman Lieutenant Colonel (Tenente Colonnello - OF-4) Units were an administrative formations of 2-3 companies.
Company, Battery, Squadron Arabic Captain (Capitano - OF-2)

Brigades

[edit]

With the reform the army raised ten new brigades and named them, depending on the division they were assigned to, by different conventions:

The two brigades were joined by the Mechanized Brigade "Legnano", which was named for the World War II 58th Infantry Division "Legnano", which in turn had been named for the medieval Battle of Legnano fought between the Lombard League and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.

The tenth new brigade was the Motorized Brigade "Acqui", named after the World War II 33rd Infantry Division "Acqui".

Battalions and groups

[edit]
See also: Italian Army battalion and group structures after 1975

In 1975 newly independent battalions and groups were given a name, battle flag, and coat of arms. These names, flags, and coats of arms are still in use today. The naming convention introduced in 1975 is as follows:

Infantry

[edit]

Each speciality of the infantry developed its own naming convention.

The three Granatieri (Grenadier) battalions were named for two battles, where the Granatieri had withstood overwhelming enemy numbers, and for the oldest regiment of their line:

Line infantry regiments already carried names before the reform and mostly retained them. The newly independent line infantry battalions, which changed their names, did so because:

  • in one case a division with same name existed (114th Infantry Regiment "Mantova" - Mechanized Division "Mantova")
  • in six cases the regiment was part of a brigade with the same name (i.e. 17th Infantry Regiment "Acqui" - Motorized Brigade "Acqui", 67th Infantry Regiment "Legnano" - Mechanized Brigade "Legnano")
  • in six cases because the regiment's sister regiment was also active with the same name (i.e. 59th Infantry Regiment "Calabria" - 60th Infantry Regiment "Calabria", 151st Infantry Regiment "Sassari"- 152nd Infantry Regiment "Sassari")
  • in two cases because an artillery regiment carried the same name (33rd Infantry Regiment "Livorno" - 28th Artillery Regiment "Livorno", 120th Infantry Regiment "Emilia" - 155th Artillery Regiment "Emilia")
  • in two cases because a brigade with the same name existed and because the regiment's sister regiment was already active with the same name: 21st Infantry Regiment "Cremona" - 22nd Infantry Regiment "Cremona" - Motorized Brigade"Cremona".
  • in the case of the reactivated 1st Infantry Regiment "Re" ("King"), because the army did not want the unit to carry a royal title. For the same reason the 9th Infantry Regiment "Regina" ("Queen") had been renamed 9th Infantry Regiment "Bari" in 1947.

All newly independent infantry battalions, with the exception of six, were named for battles where the antecedent regiment had distinguished itself. The six battalions were renamed, in one case for the patron saint of the city where the unit was based (1st Motorized Infantry Battalion "San Giusto"), in one case for a quarter of the city, which was the unit's former title (33rd Infantry Fortification Battalion "Ardenza"), in one case for a historic event that had occurred in the area of the regiment's former title (74th Infantry Fortification Battalion "Pontida"). In the remaining three cases for the historic name of the region surrounding the unit's base from where it drew its recruits: 45th Infantry Battalion "Arborea", 47th Infantry Battalion "Salento", 91st Infantry Battalion "Lucania".

Bersaglieri regiments and battalions had not carried names before the reform and the newly independent battalions were named, with two exceptions, for battles. The 1st Bersaglieri Battalion was named for the founder of the Bersaglieri corps General Alessandro Ferrero La Marmora, while the 11th Battalion, which had received the flag of the 182nd Regiment "Garibaldi", was named for the island of Caprera, where Giuseppe Garibaldi had spent the last years of his life.

Alpini battalions and the associated mountain artillery groups had been recruited in the Alpine valleys of Northern Italy and were named since 1887 for the location of their main depot. With the 1975 reform Alpini battalions and mountain artillery groups became independent under their historic names.

Armor battalions were named for officers, soldiers and partisans, who were posthumously awarded Italy's highest military honor the Gold Medal of Military Valor for heroism during World War II. Similarly the two mechanized Carabinieri battalions were named for Carabinieri officers, who were posthumously awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valor. I.e. 13th Tank Battalion "M.O. Pascucci".

Paracadutisti (Paratroopers) battalions were named for World War II battles: Second Battle of El Alamein, Air Assault of Poggio Rusco, and one battalion was named for the location of the first Italian military parachute school Tarquinia. The Paratroopers Assault Battalion was named for the World War I conquest of the summit of Col Moschin by its predecessor regiment.

The infantry's youngest speciality the Lagunari fielded two battalions after the reform:

  • 1st Lagunari Battalion "Serenissima", named for the honorary title of the Republic of Venice
  • Amphibious Vehicles Battalion "Sile", named for the Sile river, which flows into the Venetian lagoon and was the location of heavy combat between Austro-Hungarian and Italian forces in 1918.

Cavalry

[edit]

During the reform two cavalry squadron groups were reactivated and both, as all already active squadron groups, retained their traditional names. Two squadron groups retained their names based on former Kingdom of Sardinia possession in France: "Nizza Cavalleria" named for the County of Nice and "Savoia Cavalleria" named for the Duchy of Savoy. One squadrons group retained its name based on the Second Italian War of Independence Battle of Montebello, one squadrons group retained its title as the guides ("Guide") of the army, while the remainder of the squadron groups retained their names, which were derived from Italian regions (i.e. "Piemonte Cavalleria") or cities (i.e. "Lancieri di Novara").

Artillery

[edit]

The artillery remained divided into the following specialities:

  • da campagna - Field Artillery (includes also da campagna semovente (self-propelled field artillery) and da campagna paracadutisti (paratroopers field artillery)): groups of this type were maneuver elements of brigade-level units and were given flags and names of former divisional artillery regiments.
  • pesante campale - Heavy Field Artillery (includes also pesante campale semovente (heavy self-propelled field artillery)): regiments and groups of this type were support elements of divisions or corps; the first were given flags of former divisional artillery regiments, while the latter received flags of former army corps artillery regiments.
  • pesante - Heavy Artillery (includes also pesante semovente (heavy self-propelled artillery)): groups of this type were tasked with army-level strategic nuclear fire and were given, with the exception of the 27th Heavy Self-propelled Artillery Regiment, flags of former army artillery regiments. The 27th Artillery Regiment was originally a field artillery regiment, which had become a Heavy Artillery unit over time, which still retained its Field Artillery flag.
  • da montagna - Mountain Artillery: groups of this type were maneuver elements of Alpine brigades.
  • controaerei - Anti-aircraft Artillery.
  • a cavallo - Horse Artillery: the only regiment of this type was organized as a Heavy Field Artillery regiment.

Most artillery units retained the names of the former regiments, whose flags they were given. The units, which changed their names, did so because:

  • in two because cases a division with same name existed (131st Artillery Regiment "Centauro" - Armored Division "Centauro", 132nd Artillery Regiment "Ariete" - Armored Division "Ariete")
  • in one cases a division and a brigade with same name existed (185th Paratroopers Artillery Regiment "Folgore" - Mechanized Division "Folgore" - Paratroopers Brigade "Folgore")
  • in five cases a brigade with the same name existed (i.e. 7th Artillery Regiment "Cremona" - Motorized Brigade "Cremona", 35th Artillery Regiment "Friuli" - Motorized Brigade "Friuli").
  • in eight cases because an infantry regiment carried the same name (183rd Infantry Regiment "Nembo" - 184th Artillery Regiment "Nembo")
  • and in the case of the 120th Self-propelled Field Artillery Group "Po" name had to be chosen as the preceding unit was simply known as 120th Motorized Regiment.

Unlike the other service arms of the army the artillery did not follow a unified naming convention. Which led to units being named for battles (3rd "Pastrengo", 13th "Magliana", 184th "Filottrano"), rivers (1st "Adige", 10th "Avisio"), mountains (i.e. 4th "Bondone"), landscapes (i.e. 14th "Murge", 47th "Gargano"), cities (i.e. 33rd "Terni", 132nd "Rovereto"), bridges (19th "Rialto"), and World War II divisions (120th "Po"). However light anti-aircraft reserve groups were named systematically for birds of prey.

Engineers

[edit]

Engineer battalions were named for a lake if they supported a corps or named for a river if they supported a division or brigade: i.e. the 5th Pioneers Battalion "Bolsena" supported the 5th Army Corps, while the 104th Pioneers Battalion "Torre" supported the Mechanized Division "Mantova". In the case of the 184th Pioneers Battalion "Santerno" the name was chosen to also commemorate the CLXXXIV Engineer Battalion's role in crossing the river Santerno during the allied 1945 Spring offensive.

Signals

[edit]

Signal battalions were named for mountain passes,[5] with the exception of the two Southernmost units, which were named for volcanoes. I.e. named for passes: 4th Signal Battalion "Gardena", 33rd Electronic Warfare Battalion "Falzarego"; named for volcanoes: 45th Signal Battalion "Vulture" and 46th Signal Battalion "Mongibello".

Army aviation

[edit]

Army aviation units were new creations and named for celestial objects:[6]

  • Groupings were numbered with a single digit and named for stars:[6] i.e. the 5th Army Light Aviation Grouping "Rigel" was named for the brightest star in the Orion constellation. Accordingly, the coat of arms of aviation units highlight the name-giving star within its constellation. Aviation support units elevated to regiment in the 1990s were named for the constellation of the aviation regiment they supported: i.e. the support regiment of the 5th Army Aviation Regiment "Rigel" was named 2nd Army Aviation Support Regiment "Orione".
  • Squadron groups were numbered with two digits and named for constellations, and planets of the Solar System.[6] When possible the names were chosen to relate to a unit's location or its superior unit: i.e. the 34th Squadrons Group formed in 1986 from squadrons based in Turin was named "Toro" (Italian for bull) as the symbol of Turin is a rampant bull. The 46th Squadrons Group of the "Centauro" division was named "Sagittario", as this constellation is commonly represented by a centaur pulling-back a bow, which is also the division's symbol. Furthermore, the numbers assigned to squadron groups were specified as:
    • 10-19 for medium transport helicopters squadron groups (Elicotteri da Trasporto Medio - ETM)[6]
    • 20-39 for light airplanes and helicopters squadron groups (Aerei Leggeri e Elicotteri - ALE)[6]
    • 40-49 for reconnaissance helicopters squadron groups (Elicotteri da Ricognizione - ERI)[6]
    • 50-59 for multirole helicopters squadron groups (Elicotteri Multiruolo - EM)[6]

If a squadrons group was part of a regiment the second digit of its number corresponded to the number of the regiment. I.e. the 44th Squadrons Group was a reconnaissance helicopter unit assigned to the 4th Army Aviation Regiment "Altair".[6]

Transport and materiel

[edit]

Transport groups were named for Roman roads near their bases: i.e. 10th Joint Forces Maneuver Auto Group "Salaria" and the 11th Maneuver Auto Group "Flaminia", both based in Rome, were named for Roman roads starting in Rome.

Logistic battalions were named for the division or brigade they were assigned to. In 1986 logistic units supporting the army corps were given the names of landscapes in the corps' area of operations (i.e. "Carnia", "Carso", "Dolomiti").

History

[edit]

This naming convention is still in force and newly created units' names adhere to it. I.e:

  • 1 October 1983: 51st Pioneer Battalion "Simeto" in Palermo, named for the Simeto river in Southern Sicily.[7]
  • 13 July 1987: 10th Transport Battalion "Appia" in Naples, named for the Roman road Via Appia.[8]
  • 5 July 1996: 7th Attack Helicopters Regiment "Vega" in Casarsa della Delizia, named for Vega - the brightest star in the Lyra constellation.[9]
  • 24 January 2005: Battalion "Nemi" of the 6th Pioneer Regiment in Rome, named for lake Nemi in Lazio.

Flags and coat of arms

[edit]

For the first time the Italian Army allowed units below the regimental level to carry a flag ("bandiera di guerra"). With the presidential decrees n. 846 of 12 November 1976 and n. 173 of 14 March 1977 the newly raised units were officially assigned their names and either assigned an existing flag or granted a newly created one:

  • Granatieri, Bersaglieri, cavalry, line infantry, field artillery, heavy artillery, anti-air artillery, engineer, and Paracadutisti battalions and groups were assigned flags of regiments disbanded during the reform or flags of non-active regiments, whose flags had been stored at Shrine of the Flags (Sacrario delle Bandiere) in the Vittoriano in Rome.
  • Alpini, Lagunari, signal, mountain artillery, tank, and armored battalions and groups exceeded the number of pre-existing regiments and therefore were assigned a mix of existing flags and newly created flags.
  • Aviation, logistic, Carabinieri and transport units were given flags for the first time and their flags were all of new creation.

In total 92 stored and 80 newly created flags were given to the units raised during the reform. With the flags these units also acquired the right to display a coat of arms. This required the army's heraldry office to design 80 new coat of arms and update the other 92, many of which had not been modified since the time of fascism and furthermore did not take the unit's World War II service into account.

Equipment

[edit]

The reduction of forces allowed the army to retire old equipment and invest in new gear. The first priority was to improve the anti-tank capabilities of infantry units by speeding up the introduction of the BGM-71 TOW anti-tank guided missiles and ordering another 10,000 missiles.[1]

While the army had already bought 200 Leopard 1A2 main battle tanks and 69 Bergepanzer 2 armored recovery vehicles from Germany in 1971 and 1972 to equip the Cavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli", in 1974 the army ordered an additional 400 license-built Leopard 1A2 and 67 Bergepanzer 2 from OTO-Melara to replace M47 Patton tanks and M74 armored recovery vehicles in units stationed in Northern Italy. In total the army reduced the number of M47 tanks in service by about 900.[1]

Unhappy with the protection level of the standard M113 armored personnel carrier the army ordered the same year 600 VCC-1 Camillino with improved armor and a M2 Browning machine gun for its armored and mechanized brigades. As the amphibious LVT-4 of the Lagunari Regiment were obsolete the army ordered 17 LVTP-7 as replacement (15 × LVTP-7, 1 × LVTP-7C command post, 1 × LVTP-7R recovery vehicle). For the artillery 164 FH70 towed howitzers were ordered,[1] while the last M7 Priest, M55 and M14/61 howitzers were retired. In total the army reduced the number of howitzers in service by about 450.[1] The artillery's MGR-1 Honest John surface-to-surface missiles were replaced with MGM-52 Lance missiles, while its MQM-57 "Falconer" drones were replaced by Canadair CL-89B "Midge" drones.

The Army's Light Aviation had received its first CH-47C Chinook transport helicopter in February 1973; by 1975 the first operational unit could be formed and all 24 Chinook were in service by October 1977.[10] In the same year,[which?] the first of 80 SM.1019A artillery observation and liaison plane entered service and began to replace the L-18C Super Cub and L-21B Super Cub planes, which were finally taken out of service in 1979 and 1980 respectively.[11]

Symbols

[edit]
  • -> = "changed to"
  • --> = "assigned to"
  • ʘ-> = "moved to"

Army General Staff

[edit]
See also: Structure of the Italian Army in 1974 and Structure of the Italian Army in 1977
  • Army General Staff (Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito (SME)), in Rome[12]
    • Chief of the Army General Staff
    • Medical Service, in Rome[13]
      • Military Medicine School, in Florence[14]
        • Training and Studies Office
        • Complement Officer Cadets / Specialized Cadets Unit
        • Administrative Service
        • Special Infirmary
      • Military Medicine Studies and Research Center, in Rome
    • Military Veterinary Service, in Rome[15]
      • Military Veterinary Service School, in Pinerolo
      • Military Veterinary Service Studies Center, in Rome
      • Quadrupeds Infirmary, in Pinerolo
      • Quadrupeds Infirmary, in Meran
      • Quadrupeds Infirmary, in Udine
      • Quadrupeds Rearing Post, in Grosseto
    • Automotive Service, in Rome[16]
      • Secretariat and Personnel Office -> Office of the Chief (Secretariat and Personnel, Studies and Regulations, Training and Organization)
      • Regulation, Organization and Training Office -> disbanded
      • Motorization Schools Command, in Rome-Cecchignola[17]
        • Command Unit, in Rome-Cecchignola
        • Automotive Service Application School, in Rome-Cecchignola -> Automotive Service Application School[18]
        • Motorization Specialists School, in Rome-Cecchignola -> Motorization Specialists School[18][17]
        • Motorization Mechanics and Drivers School, in Rome-Cecchignola -> Motorization Mechanics School[18][17]
        • Maneuver Auto Group, in Rome-Cecchignola
        • Medium Workshop, in Rome-Cecchignola
      • X Auto Group, in Rome -> 10th Joint Forces Maneuver Auto Group "Salaria" (granted a new flag)[19]
      • XI Maneuver Auto Group, in Rome -> 11th Maneuver Auto Group "Flaminia" (granted a new flag)[20]
    • Military Commissariat Service, in Rome
      • Military Commissariat and Administration Services School, in Maddaloni[21][22]
        • Command Company, in Maddaloni -> Command and Services Company
        • I Courses Unit (Commissariat), in Maddaloni -> 1st Specialized Cadets Battalion
        • II Courses Unit (Administration), in Maddaloni > disbanded
        • III Experimental Unit, in Maddaloni -> 3rd Experimental Battalion
        • IV Specialized Cadets Unit, in Nocera Inferiore -> 2nd Specialized Cadets Battalion
    • Military Administration Service, in Rome[23]
    • Artillery Technical Service, in Rome
    • Engineering Technical Service, in Rome
    • Signal Technical Service, in Rome
    • Motorization Technical Service, in Rome
    • Chemical-Physical Technical Service, in Rome
    • Geographic Technical Service, in Rome
      • Military Geographical Institute, in Florence
    • War School, in Civitavecchia
    • Military Academy, in Modena
    • Arms Application Schools Command, in Turin -> Application School[24][18]
      • Infantry and Cavalry Application School, in Turin -> disbanded
      • Artillery Application School, in Turin -> disbanded
      • Engineering Application School, in Turin -> disbanded
    • "Nunziatella" Military School, in Naples
    • Non-commissioned Officers Cadets School, in Viterbo
    • Army Foreign Languages School, in Rome

Infantry and Cavalry Inspectorate

[edit]
  • Infantry and Cavalry Inspectorate, in Rome[25]
    • Secretariat and Personnel Office -> 1st Office: Secretariat, Organization, and Personnel
    • Training, Regulations, Schools Office -> 2nd Office: Schools Training and Regulations; Schools Courses and Materials
    • Studies and Experiences Office -> disbanded
    • General Officer Divisional Infantry -> General Officer for motorized, alpine, parachute, and fortification infantry units
    • General Officer Alpine Troops -> disbanded
      • Alpine Military School (SMALP), in Aosta[29]
        • Command Unit, in Aosta -> Command and Services Company
        • Cadets Battalion, in Aosta
        • Alpine Troops Skiers Group, in Aosta
        • Light Aviation Unit (SMALP), at Pollein Heliport -> 545th Multirole Helicopters Squadron / 54th Multirole Helicopters Squadrons Group "Cefeo" / 4th Army Aviation Regiment "Altair"[30][6]
    • General Officer Parachute Troops -> disbanded
    • General Officer Armored Troops -> General Officer for mechanized and armored units of infantry and cavalry
      • Mechanized and Armored Troops School (SCUTMEC), in Caserta -> Armored Troops School[33]
        • Command Unit, in Caserta -> Command and Services Company
        • Cadets Battalion, in Caserta
        • Tank Training Battalion, in Caserta -> Tank-Armored Battalion
        • Mechanized and Armored Troops Squad Commanders Cadets School, in Lecce -> Armored Troops Specialists School
        • Light Aviation Unit SCUTMEC, at Pontecagnano Airport -> merged into the 20th Light Airplanes and Helicopters Squadrons Group "Andromeda"[34]
    • Physical Education Military School, in Orvieto
      • 1st Athletes Company, in Rome
      • 2nd Athletes Company, in Naples
      • 3rd Athletes Company, in Bologna

Artillery Inspectorate

[edit]
  • Artillery Inspectorate, in Rome -> Artillery and NBC-defense Inspectorate[35]
    • Secretariat and Personnel Office
    • Studies, Regulations, Schools Office -> disbanded
    • General Officer Field Artillery
    • General Officer Anti-aircraft Artillery
      • Anti-aircraft Artillery Office
      • Anti-aircraft Artillery School, in Sabaudia
        • Command Unit, in Sabaudia
        • I Anti-aircraft Artillery Group, in Sabaudia
        • Cadets Group, in Sabaudia
        • Logistic Unit, in Sabaudia
      • Artillery Electronic Technicians School, in Rome -> disbanded

Engineering Inspectorate

[edit]
  • Engineering Inspectorate, in Rome[38]
    • Secretariat and Personnel Office
    • I Office: Regulations, Training and Schools -> Training and Studies Office
    • II Office: Studies and Experiences -> Research and Army General Staff Studies Office
    • III Office: Works and Property -> Works and Property Office
    • General Officer Engineering -> Deputy-Inspector Engineering
      • Pioneer Engineering School, in Rome-Cecchignola -> Engineering School[39]
        • new: Command and Services Company, in Rome-Cecchignola
        • I Courses Battalion, in Rome-Cecchignola -> 1st Complement Officer Cadets Battalion
        • II Specialized Cadets Battalion, in Rome-Cecchignola -> 2nd Specialized Cadets Battalion
        • III Specialized Cadets Battalion, in Rome-Cecchignola -> 3rd Specialized Cadets Battalion
        • IV Training Battalion, in Rome-Cecchignola -> 4th Pioneer Cadets Battalion

Signal Inspectorate

[edit]
  • Signal Inspectorate, in Rome[40]

NBC-defense Inspectorate

[edit]
  • NBC-defense Inspectorate, in Rome -> disbanded[35][51]
    • Secretariat and Personnel Office
    • Civil Protection Support Advisory and Study Cell
    • NBC-Defense Department -> disbanded
      • Studies, Regulations, Training Office
      • Technical Instruction, Equipment Loads Office
      • NBC-Network Control Center Cell
      • Atomic Coordination Section
    • Armed Forces Atomic, Biological, Chemical Defense School, in Rieti -> Armed Forces Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Defense School --> Artillery and NBC-defense Inspectorate[52]
    • NBC-defense Battalion, in Rieti -> 1st NBC Battalion "Etruria" (assigned the flag of the Chemical Regiment) --> Artillery and NBC-defense Inspectorate[53]

Army Logistic Inspectorate

[edit]
  • Army Logistic Inspectorate, in Rome[54]
    • Secretariat and Personnel Section
    • Coordination Office
    • Statistics-Data Processing-Coordination Office (STAMECO)
    • Studies Office
    • Arms, Ammunition, and NBC-defense Materiel Office
    • Engineering and Signal Materiel Office
    • Army Light Aviation Materiel Office
    • new: Supply Programs Office
    • new: Logistic Organization Office
    • Commissariat Materiel Office (coordinates with the Military Commissariat Service)
    • Motorization Materiel Office (coordinates with the Automotive Service)
    • Medical Materiel Office (coordinates with the Medical Service)
    • Veterinary Service Materiel Section (coordinates with the Military Veterinary Service)
    • Army Arsenal, in Naples[55]
    • Army Arsenal, in Piacenza[56]
    • Arms Factory, in Terni -> in 1978: Light Armament Military Plant[57]
    • Army Fuse Factory, in Torre Annunziata -> Terrestrial Ammunition Military Plant (Fuses Division)[58]
    • Army Pyrotechnics, in Capua -> Detached Section (Pyrotechnics Division) --> Terrestrial Ammunition Military Plant[59]
    • Army Powder Factory, in Fontana Liri[60]
    • Amy Precision Laboratory, in Rome -> in 1978: Electronic and Precision Materiels Military Plant[61]
    • Projecticles Filling Laboratory, in Madonna di Baiano -> Terrestrial Ammunition Military Plant[62]
    • 21st Signal Plant, in Rome -> in 1978: Military Engineering Plant[64]
    • 22nd Military Engineering Plant, in Pavia -> in 1978: Military Engineering Plant[65]
    • NBC-defense Materiel Directorate, in Rome -> NBC-defense Materiel Military Plant[66]
    • Military Chemical-Pharmaceutical Institute, in Florence -> in 1978: Chemical-Pharmaceutical Military Plant[67]
    • Army Tractor Repairs Workshop, in Piacenza -> in 1978: Detached Section Combat Vehicles Plant (Bologna) --> Combat Vehicles Plant[68]
    • Armored Vehicles Repairs Workshop, in Bologna -> in 1978: Combat Vehicles Plant[69]
    • Armored Vehicles Repairs Workshop, in Nola -> in 1978: Combat Vehicles Plant[69]
    • Graphic Workshop, in Gaeta -> Graphic Military Plant[70]
    • new: Arms and Ammunition Military Technical Center, in Rome[71]
    • Artillery Experiences Center, in Nettuno[72]
    • Engineering Technical Center, in Rome -> Engineering Military Technical Center[73]
    • Signal Technical Center, in Rome -> Signals Military Technical Center[74]
    • Commissariat Technical Center, in Turin -> Commissariat Military Technical Center[75]
    • Motorization Studies and Experiences Center, in Rome -> in 1978: Motorization Military Technical Center[76]
    • Vehicles and Spares Supply Center, in Turin[77]
    • Army Aero-photographic Reproduction Center, in Villafranca di Verona
    • Chemical, Physical, and Biological Technical Center, in Rome -> NBC-defense Military Technical Center ʘ-> Civitavecchia[78]
    • new: 4th Light Army Aviation Repairs Battalion, at Viterbo Airport[79]

Office of the Inspector of Army Light Aviation

[edit]
  • Office of the Inspector of Army Light Aviation, in Rome -> Army Light Aviation Inspectorate[80][81]
    • Secretariat and Personnel Office
    • I Flight-cooperation Office -> disbanded
    • II Training, Courses, Flight Safety, and Personnel Office -> disbanded
    • III Army Light Aviation Materiel and Experiences Office -> disbanded
    • Army Light Aviation Training Center, at Viterbo Airport -> Army Light Aviation Center[82][83]
      • Training Office -> Operations, Training, Information Office
      • Administration Office -> disbanded
      • Command Unit, at Viterbo Airport -> Courses Unit
      • Flight Unit, at Viterbo Airport -> Aircraft Unit
    • new: 1st Army Light Aviation Grouping "Antares", at Viterbo Airport[84] (granted a new flag)[85]
      • Medium Helicopter Battalion, at Viterbo Airport (CH-47C Chinook helicopters) -> 11th Medium Transport Helicopters Squadrons Group "Ercole" and 12th Medium Transport Helicopters Squadrons Group "Gru"[84][85]
      • I General Use Helicopters Battalion, at Viterbo Airport (AB 204/205 helicopters) -> 51st Multirole Helicopters Squadrons Group "Leone"[84][85][6]
    • XXX Light Aviation Battalion, at Padua Airport (AB 204/205 helicopters -> III General Use Helicopters Battalion --> III Army Corps; on 19 February 1976 -> 53rd Multirole Helicopters Squadrons Group "Cassiopea"
    • Light Airplanes Section, at Alghero Airport (SISMI support unit, SM.1019A planes)[6] -> 399th Light Airplanes Squadron ʘ-> Guidonia Airport

III Army Corps

[edit]

Armored Division "Centauro"

[edit]
Armored Division "Centauro" 1975 reform changes

Infantry Division "Legnano"

[edit]
Infantry Division "Legnano" 1975 reform changes

Infantry Division "Cremona"

[edit]
Infantry Division "Cremona" 1975 reform changes
III Army Corps 1975 reform changes

IV Alpine Army Corps

[edit]

Alpine Brigade "Taurinense"

[edit]
Alpine Brigade "Taurinense" 1975 reform changes

Alpine Brigade "Orobica"

[edit]
Alpine Brigade "Orobica" 1975 reform changes

Alpine Brigade "Tridentina"

[edit]
Alpine Brigade "Tridentina" 1975 reform changes

Carnia-Cadore Troops Command

[edit]
Alpine Brigade "Cadore"
[edit]
Alpine Brigade "Cadore" 1975 reform changes
Alpine Brigade "Julia"
[edit]
Alpine Brigade "Julia" 1975 reform changes
IV Alpine Army Corps 1975 reform changes

V Army Corps

[edit]

Armored Division "Ariete"

[edit]
Armored Division "Ariete" 1975 reform changes

Infantry Division "Folgore"

[edit]
Infantry Division "Folgore" 1975 reform changes

Infantry Division "Mantova"

[edit]
Infantry Division "Mantova" 1975 reform changes

Cavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli"

[edit]
Cavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli" 1975 reform changes

III Missile Brigade

[edit]
III Missile Brigade 1975 reform changes

Trieste Troops Command

[edit]
Trieste Troops Command 1975 reform changes
  • Trieste Troops Command, in Trieste
    • new: Command and Services Platoon, in Trieste
    • 151st Infantry Regiment "Sassari", in Trieste -> disbanded,[271] flag and traditions transferred to the II Battalion of the 152nd Infantry Regiment "Sassari"
      • Command and Services Company, in Trieste -> disbanded
      • I Infantry Battalion, in Trieste -> 1st Motorized Infantry Battalion "San Giusto" (assigned the flag of the 1st Infantry Regiment "Re")[272]
      • II Infantry Battalion, in Trieste -> disbanded and equipment stored (In case of war would have been activated as 43rd Motorized Infantry Battalion "Forlì" and would have been assigned the flag of the 43rd Infantry Regiment "Forlì")
      • III Infantry Battalion, in Trieste -> disbanded and equipment stored (In case of war would have been activated as 255th Motorized Infantry Battalion "Veneto" and would have been assigned the flag of the 255th Infantry Regiment "Veneto")
      • Regimental Anti-tank Company, in Trieste (anti-tank guided missiles and M47 tanks) -> disbanded
    • 14th Field Artillery Regiment, in Trieste -> disbanded
    • Engineer Platoon, in Trieste
    • Signal Platoon, in Trieste
    • Light Airplanes Section, at Trieste-Prosecco Heliport -> 554th Multirole Helicopters Squadron / 55th Multirole Helicopters Squadrons Group "Dragone" / 5th Army Light Aviation Grouping "Rigel"
    • Services Squad, in Trieste -> Provisions Supply Platoon
    • Carabinieri Squad, in Trieste
V Army Corps support units 1975 reform changes

Northwestern Military Region - I C.M.T.

[edit]
Northwestern Military Region 1975 reform changes