Active 1940-43, 1975-date Type Paratroopers | Branch Carabinieri Size 550 | |
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Country Kingdom of Italy
Italy Role Special operations, diplomatic protection | ||
The Regiment Carabinieri "Tuscania" (or more properly the 1st Regiment Carabinieri "Tuscania") is a Special Forces unit of the Italian Carabinieri. It is formed from paratroopers and is part of the Carabinieri Second Mobile Brigade along with the 7th Carabinieri Regiment based in Laives (in South Tyrol), the 13th Carabinieri Regiment based in Gorizia, and the Special Intervention Group.
Contents
The Tuscania is currently based in Livorno, and has approximately 550 personnel. The regiment combines training and military type operations.
History
The department perpetuates the traditions of the 1 Battalion Royal Carabinieri paratroopers, formed on July 1, 1940; it fought in World War II on the North African front (1941).
Elements of what would become the present regiment significantly contributed to the actions in the 1960s against guerrillas, as opposed to the initiatives of terrorist - separatist by certain local independentist movements.
In 1975, in conjunction with military organization, it assumed the name of 1st Battalion Carabinieri Paratroopers "Tuscania". The current designation of Regiment was awarded on June 1, 1996, and it was subordinated to the 2nd Brigade Mobile Carabinieri.
The regiment took part in the most important operations conducted by the Italian military in Lebanon, Namibia, Somalia, West Bank, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq.
It also conducted security operations in support of Italian embassies and diplomatic missions exposed to conditions of severe risk.
Recruitment and training
The course (which is accessed after a preliminary screening out of people who are not eligible) lasts forty-four weeks and, among other things, provides the achievement of the special status of military paratrooper.
Only one candidate out of three attains the rank of Explorer, but the training does not end then. The new trooper is assigned to a battalion (operational structure), and alternates missions with specialized courses at home or abroad.
Despite being awarded the status of an Armed Force to the Carabinieri on 5 October 2000, the Tuscania remains closely connected to the Folgore Parachute Brigade, with which it shares the amaranth beret.
Structure
The Regiment also has a Sport Parachute Section, which is placed directly under the General Command of the Carabinieri .
Use
The areas of intervention of Tuscania cover:
All members of the Special Intervention Group come from the ranks of Tuscania.
Individual armament
Apart from special allocations of certain operators (see, for example Barrett M82), possibly related to the use of squad weapons or to the needs of unconventional warfare, any Tuscania member carries the same sidearm as common Carabinieri, the Beretta 92FS, and, like most Italian paratroopers, the foldingstock SC 70/90 or the shortened SCS 70/90 version of the Beretta AR70/90 assault rifle, or Beretta Model 12 sub-machine gun currently provided to the Italian armed forces. By the late 1990s, the Beretta rifle has been replaced by a version of the American carbine M4A1 built by Bushmaster and equipment vests are a special version of the Israeli "Ephod" made for the Tuscania regiment by an Israeli firm, Hagor. They also use the HK53 with a British-made 40mm grenade launcher.
Sports
Regiment "Tuscania" also includes a Sport Parachute Unit, which boasts many excellent results, both in the civil and military spheres, including several world titles achieved in the years 1990, 1994, 1998, 1999.