Special Forces of the Kingdom of Italy

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The Italian Special Forces include special forces units from several branches of the Italian Military: the National Republican Army, the National Republican Navy and the National Republican Air Force. Each of these three branches has its own special forces unit, and other state bodies, such as the Republican Police Corps, have their own units.
The guide of the Italian Special Forces lies with the Joint Command for Operations of Special Forces (It: Comando interforze per le Operazioni delle Forze Speciali, C.O.F.S.), led by General of Division Maurilio Fioravanti. Special forces (Tier 1) are combined with the units of Special Operations Forces (Tier 2).

Special Forces

Special Forces (It: Forze Speciali, F.S.) are elite units belonging to the Armed Forces. Soldiers of FS units usually operate in small detachments in operations characterized by high risk and high level of technical operations: sabotage, raids in areas controlled by the enemy and against strategic targets, reconnaissance, search and rescue of hostages in war areas, removing obstacles and land preparation for deployment of conventional forces. Within the "civilian" range, their use is valuable for the release of civilians in the hands of terrorists.
The Special Forces are not only war elite: even the action, except in cases of irruption, is mainly used in case of failure with the immediate automatic reactions. The strategic uses of Special Forcs include the gathering information on the field and with the utmost cordiality, working in small teams (even 1/2 persons) in dangerous situations. Sabotage actions are done in complete silence without firing any shot. The special forces tasks are basically divided into three separate tasks: sabotage, intelligence and irruptions.
The Italian Special Forces units are:

Special Operations Forces

The Special Operations Forces (It: Forze per Operazioni Speciali, F.O.S.) are highly specialized units, and constitute the middle ground between conventional highly trained units (Paratroopers, Mountain units, Assault tank units) and Special Forces, which often interoperate with. The FOS are used in support of both conventional units and of the Special Forces for operations such as reconnaissance, sabotage, etc. The Special Operations Forces also possess significant operational specializations.
The training and preparation of the Special Operations Forces is much closer to the Special Forces than to preparation of the Special Operations Support Forces. The Italian FOS are all drawn from the Army but two units:

  • 4th Alpine Paratrooper Rangers Regiment "Monte Cervino";
  • 185th Reconnaissance and Target Adquisition Regiment "Folgore";
  • 28th Operational Communications Regiment “Pavia” (SOOS);
  • 26th Helicopters of Special Operations Group "Juppiter" (SOOS);
  • 9th Wing (Stormo) "Francesco Baracca" (SOOS).

SOF units are fully capable of performing other types of special missions, such as assassinations, hostage rescue, etc., but their primary task, and what sets them apart, is their ability to work closely with Jinavia's military allies to fullfil their tasks. Within the Special operations forces, there are three regiment-level units labelled as "Operational Support for Special Operations" (It: Supporto Operativo per le Operazioni Speciali, SOOS).

Joint Command for Operations of Special Forces

The Joint Command for Operations of Special Forces of the Armed Forces is a hierarchical dependencies Italian to direct the Defence General Staff, which manages the Italian special forces. It is the command that is responsible for the planning of special operations for all of the Italian Special Forces.

COM.FO.S.E.

The Army Special Forces Command (Comando Forze Speciali Esercito, COM.FO.S.E.) is not a deployment command, being this role previously attributed entirely to the joint COFS, but it has the responsibility to devise, organize and conduct the training and preparation of Army Special Forces and Special Operations Forces.
The COMFOSE is the body responsible for harmonizing the common needs and to support, coordinate, rationalize and direct the action of these highly specialized units in the vital areas of recruitment, training, preparation, research and selection of materials, as well as for doctrinal elaboration and rules of use: the COMFOSE is placed directly under the Chief of Staff of the Army.

1st Aviation Brigade for Special Operations

The 1st Aviation Brigade for Special Operations is a formation of the Air Force, with the task of managing the field of Special Forces and Security Forces of the Armed Force. The Aviation Brigade controls the following Regiment-level units:

  • 9th Wing "Francesco Baracca" - Grazzanise (CE) - Tactical transport
  • 16th Wing "Protezione delle Forze" - Martina Franca (TA) - Air field security
  • 17th Wing A.D.A.N.R. - Furbara (RM) - Special Forces
  • K9 Centre - Grosseto

Special Operation Support Forces

The Special Operations Support Forces (It: Forze di Supporto per le Operazioni Speciali, Fo.S.O.S.) are conventional units especially prepared and used in the theater of operations in the absence of the Special Operations Forces, or, under some circunstances, to support the Special Operations Forces. These units are the best ones among their specialities, and are, often, paratroopers or assault landing units. It is to note that all SOSF are also rapid reaction units.

Training

All Special Forces and Special Operations Forces undergo the same O.B.O.S. basic training, while each unit completes on its own the specific training required for completing the full membership. The training location is somewhat peculiar: all Army units (apart the Alpine Paratroopers) undergo the OBOS training at the 10th Regiment's RAFOS, while Navy and Air Force organize on their own the OBOS training, although with the same evaluation criteria. Finally, the 10th Regiment, the Arditi Incursori and the ADANR Wing interact with each other in order to upgrade each's own training and preparations.

OBOS Course

The O.B.O.S. (Operatore Basico Operazioni Speciali, Basic Operator Special Operations) course has a duration of 20 weeks. The number of candidates to each course reaches even 70 students: the supply modules are unified and depend on the organic weaknesses of each department.
The aim of the OBOS Course is to improve the technical and professional level of the participants, who acquire the skills necessary to conduct basic movement in a hostile environment, and the first technical and operational knowledge for the conduct of elementary typical tactical actions. In addition, students evaluation continues during the course for the suitability of the continuation of the training.
Since this is a "basic" course, vehicles, equipment and weapons used are those supplied to the infantry. Steps are set up according to a progressive path:

  • Obtaining the Paratroopers Brevet with the bridle, for anyone who does not hold it, at the C.A.PAR. of Pisa;
  • Theoretical and practical training on the topography, topographic marches, learning the techniques of orientation and land cruising;
  • Tactics Technical Procedures (TTP).

The TTP phase is the heart of the OBOS training and is intended individual and team combat training and tactics and standard operating procedures learning. At this stage, all aspects related to the appropriate use of equipment, techniques, masking, camouflage, tactical movement, overcoming obstacles and vertical mobility are treated in detail. In addition, students acquire the necessary automation in the preparation of the stops, bivouacs, in the process of reorganization and automatic immediate reaction in case of detection; objectives research, acquisition and monitoring and to direct actions on tactical objectives.
The Course continues with combat tactics and patrolling in an urban environment, preparation of helicopter landing zones and technical research and deception. Students are also taught specific technical trainings: radio transmission, procedures for first aid and tactical medicine, the basic life support training, how to intervene promptly in case of gunshot wounds, and life-saving maneuvers on cardio-pulmonary resuscitation procedures, insights on guns and (day and night) shooting and planning of military operations. The course concludes with a continuous exercise of two weeks and the final exams.

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