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{{short description|Combined military forces of Italy}}
{{Infobox national military
| name = Italian Armed Forces
| native_name = {{lang|it|Forze armate italiane (FF.AA.)}}
| image = Stemma araldico e distintivo dello Stato Maggiore Difesa.svg
| image_size = 150px
| caption = Coat of arms of the Italian Defence Staff
| image2 =
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
| motto =
| founded = 4 May 1861 ({{Age in years and months|1861|5|4}})
| current_form =
| disbanded =
| branches = {{tree list}}
*[[File:Coat_of_arms_of_the_Esercito_Italiano.svg|50px]] [[Italian Army]]
*[[File:Coat of arms of Marina Militare.svg|50px]] [[Italian Navy]]
*[[File:Coat of arms of the Italian Air Force.svg|50px]] [[Italian Air Force]]
*[[File:Coat of arms of the Carabinieri.svg|50px]] [[Carabinieri]]
{{tree list/end}}
| headquarters = [[Rome]]<ref name="Budget2014">{{cite web|title=Documento Programmatico Pluriennale per la Difesa per il triennio 2014-16 |url=http://www.difesa.it/Content/Documents/nota_aggiuntiva/01_DPP_2014_2016.pdf |publisher=Italian Ministry of Defence | date=13 June 2014 |access-date=8 January 2015 | language = it}}</ref>
| flying_hours =
| website = 

| commander-in-chief = {{flagicon image|Flag of the President of Italy.svg|size=25px}} [[Sergio Mattarella]]
| commander-in-chief_title = [[President of Italy|President of the Republic]]
| chief minister = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Prime Minister of Italy.svg|size=25px}} [[Giorgia Meloni]]
| chief minister_title = [[Prime Minister of Italy|Prime Minister]]
| minister = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Italian Defence minister.svg|size=25px}} [[Guido Crosetto]]
| minister_title = [[Italian Minister of Defence|Minister of Defence]]
| commander = {{flagicon image|Flag of the chief of staff of defence of Italy.svg|size=25px}} Admiral [[Giuseppe Cavo Dragone]]
| commander_title = [[Chief of the Defence Staff (Italy)|Chief of the Defence Staff]]

| age =
| conscription =
| manpower_data =
| manpower_age =
| available =
| available_f =
| fit =
| fit_f =
| reaching =
| reaching_f =
| active = 165,500{{sfn|IISS|2021|p=116}}
| ranked =
| reserve = 18,300{{sfn|IISS|2021|p=116}}
| deployed =

| amount = {{USD|32.0 billion|link=yes}} (2021) ([[List of countries by military expenditures|ranked 11th]])<ref name="SIPRI-2020">{{cite web |last1=Tian |first1=Nan |last2=Fleurant |first2=Aude |last3=Kuimova |first3=Alexandra |last4=Wezeman |first4=Pieter D. |last5=Wezeman |first5=Siemon T. |date=24 April 2022 |title=Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2021 |url=https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2022-04/fs_2204_milex_2021_0.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425064753/https://www.sipri.org/publications/2022/sipri-fact-sheets/trends-world-military-expenditure-2021 |archive-date=25 April 2022 |access-date=25 April 2022 |publisher=[[Stockholm International Peace Research Institute]]}}</ref>
| percent_GDP = 1.5% (2021)<ref name="SIPRI-2020">{{cite web |last1=Tian |first1=Nan |last2=Fleurant |first2=Aude |last3=Kuimova |first3=Alexandra |last4=Wezeman |first4=Pieter D. |last5=Wezeman |first5=Siemon T. |date=24 April 2022 |title=Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2021 |url=https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2022-04/fs_2204_milex_2021_0.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425064753/https://www.sipri.org/publications/2022/sipri-fact-sheets/trends-world-military-expenditure-2021 |archive-date=25 April 2022 |access-date=25 April 2022 |publisher=[[Stockholm International Peace Research Institute]]}}</ref>

| domestic_suppliers = [[Avio]] [[Beretta]] [[Fincantieri]] [[Fiocchi Munizioni]] [[Intermarine]] [[Iveco]] [[Leonardo S.p.A.|Leonardo]] [[Piaggio Aerospace]]
| foreign_suppliers = {{EU}} {{USA}}
| imports = {{Currency|3.463 billion|USD|passthrough=yes|linked=no}} (2010–2021)<ref name="SIPRI_India"/>
| exports = {{Currency|9.267 billion|USD|passthrough=yes|linked=no}} (2010–2021)<ref name="SIPRI_India">{{cite web|url=https://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/values.php|title=TIV of arms imports/exports data for India, 2010-2021|date=7 February 2022|work=[[Stockholm International Peace Research Institute]]}}</ref>

| history = [[Military history of Italy]] [[Royal Italian Army|Regio Esercito]] {{Lang|it|[[Regia Marina]]}} [[Regia Aeronautica]]
| ranks = [[Italian Army ranks|Army ranks]] [[Italian Navy ranks|Navy ranks]] [[Italian Air Force ranks|Air Force ranks]] [[Rank insignia of the Carabinieri|Carabinieri Ranks]]
}}

The '''Italian Armed Forces''' ({{lang-it|Forze armate italiane}}, {{IPA-it|ˈfɔrtse arˈmaːte itaˈljaːne|pron}}) encompass the [[Italian Army]], the [[Italian Navy]] and the [[Italian Air Force]]. A fourth [[Military branch|branch]] of the armed forces, known as the [[Carabinieri]], take on the role as the nation's [[Gendarmerie|military police]] and are also involved in missions and operations abroad as a combat force. Despite not being a branch of the armed forces, the [[Guardia di Finanza]] has military status and is organized along military lines.<ref>The ''Guardia di Finanza'' also operates a large fleet of ships, aircraft and helicopters, enabling it to patrol Italy's waters and to eventually participate in warfare scenarios</ref> These five forces comprise a total of 340,885 men and women with the official status of active military personnel, of which 167,057 are in the Army, Navy and Air Force.<ref name=IT>{{cite web | url=https://www.difesa.it/Content/Documents/20210804%20DPP%202021-2023%20-ult.pdf |title=Documento programmatico pluriennale per la Difesa per il triennio 2021-2023 - Doc. CCXXXIV, n. 4. |publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (Italy)]] |date=2021 |access-date=6 June 2022}}</ref><ref name="Budget2014"/><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=koG-2k__pIcC&q=Guardia+di+finanza%2C+military&pg=PA70|title=Armed Forces in Law Enforcement Operations? - The German and European Perspective|first=Kim Eduard|last=Lioe|date=25 November 2010|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=9783642154348|access-date=28 March 2018|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hYiIWVlpFzEC&q=Guardi+di+finanz+status+of+troops&pg=PA560|title=Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law - 2010|first1=M. N.|last1=Schmitt|first2=Louise|last2=Arimatsu|first3=Tim|last3=McCormack|date=5 August 2011|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=9789067048118|access-date=28 March 2018|via=Google Books}}</ref> The [[President of the Italian Republic]] heads the armed forces as the President of the [[High Council of Defence (Italy)|High Council of Defence]] established by article 87 of the [[Constitution of Italy]]. According to article 78, the [[Italian Parliament|Parliament]] has the authority to declare a state of war and vest the powers to lead the war in the [[Italian government|Government]].

==Organization==
The office of the Chief of Defence is organised as follows:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.difesa.it/SMD_/Pagine/Organigramma.aspx|title=Organigramma|website=www.difesa.it|access-date=28 March 2018}}</ref>

[[File:Italian Defence organisation chart.jpg]]

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Position !! Italian title !! Rank !! Incumbent
|-
| Chief of the Defence Staff || Il Capo di Stato Maggiore della Difesa || Ammiraglio || [[Giuseppe Cavo Dragone]]
|-
| Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff || Sottocapo di Stato Maggiore della Difesa|| Generale di Corpo d'Armata || [[Carmine Masiello]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.difesa.it/SMD_/Staff/Sottocapo/Pagine/BiografiaSottocapoSMD.aspx|title=Sottocapo di Stato Maggiore della Difesa - Difesa.it|website=www.difesa.it|access-date=28 March 2018}}</ref>
|-
| Chief of Joint Operations || Il Comandante del [[Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze]] || Generale di corpo d'armata con incarichi speciali || [[Francesco Paolo Figliuolo]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.difesa.it/SMD_/COI/Pagine/IlComandante.aspx|title=Il Comandante del Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze|website=www.difesa.it|access-date=28 March 2018}}</ref>

|}

==The four branches of Italian Armed Forces==

===Esercito Italiano===
{{Main article|Italian Army}}

The ground force of Italy, the ''[[Regio Esercito]]'' dates back to the unification of Italy in the 1850s and 1860s. It fought in colonial engagements in China during the [[Boxer Rebellion]], against the [[Ottoman Empire]] in [[Italo-Turkish War|Libya (1911-1912)]], on the [[Alps]] against the [[Austro-Hungarian Empire]] during [[World War I]], in [[Ethiopia|Abyssinia]] during the [[Interwar period]], and in [[World War II]] in [[Albania]], [[Greece]], [[North Africa]] and [[Russia]], as well as in the [[Italian Civil War]]. During the [[Cold War]] the Army prepared itself to defend against a [[Warsaw Pact]] invasion from the east. Since the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]], it has seen extensive peacekeeping service in [[Lebanon]], [[Afghanistan]], and [[Iraq]]. On 29 July 2004 it became a professional all-volunteer force when [[conscription]] was finally ended.

===Marina Militare===
{{Main article|Italian Navy}}

The navy of Italy was created in 1861, following the [[proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy]], as the {{Lang|it|[[Regia Marina]]}}. The new navy's baptism of fire came during the [[Third Italian War of Independence]] against the [[Austrian Empire]]. During the [[First World War]], it spent its major efforts in the [[Adriatic Sea]], fighting the [[Austro-Hungarian Navy]]. In the [[Second World War]], it engaged the [[Royal Navy]] in a two-and-a-half-year struggle for the control of the [[Mediterranean Sea]]. After the war, the new ''Marina Militare'', being a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), has taken part in many coalition peacekeeping operations. It is a [[blue-water navy]]. The ''[[Guardia Costiera]]'' (Coast Guard) is a component of the navy.

===Aeronautica Militare===
{{Main article|Italian Air Force}}
[[File:Ejercicio Dissimilar Air Combat Training - DACT 2017 - Base Aérea de Gando (32765109225).jpg|thumb|[[Eurofighter Typhoon]]s of the [[Italian Air Force]]]]

The [[air force]] of Italy was founded as an independent service arm on 28 March 1923, by [[Victor Emmanuel III of Italy|King Vittorio Emanuele III]] as the ''[[Regia Aeronautica]]'' (which equates to "Royal Air Force"). During the 1930s, it was involved in its first military operations in Ethiopia in 1935, and later in the [[Spanish Civil War]] between 1936 and 1939. Eventually, Italy entered [[World War II]] alongside Germany. After the armistice of 8 September 1943, Italy was divided into two sides, and the same fate befell the ''Regia Aeronautica''. The Air Force was split into the ''[[Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force]]'' in the south aligned with the Allies, and the pro-Axis ''[[Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana]]'' in the north until the end of the war. When Italy was made a republic by referendum, the air force was given its current name ''Aeronautica Militare''.

===Carabinieri===
{{Main article|Carabinieri}}

The ''[[Arma dei Carabinieri]]'' is the [[gendarmerie]] and [[military police]] of Italy. The corps was instituted in 1814 by King Victor Emmanuel I of Savoy with the aim of providing the [[Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861)|Kingdom of Sardinia]] with a police corps; it is therefore older than Italy itself. The new force was divided into divisions on the scale of one division for each [[province of Italy]]. The divisions were further divided into companies and subdivided into lieutenancies, which commanded and coordinated the local [[police station]]s and were distributed throughout the national territory in direct contact with the public. The [[Italian unification]] saw the number of divisions increased, and in 1861 the ''Carabinieri'' were appointed the "First Force" of the new national military organization. In recent years ''Carabinieri'' became the fourth [[Military branch|branch]] of Italian Armed Forces. Primarily they carry out [[law enforcement]], [[military police|military policing]] duties and peacekeeping mission abroad, such as [[Kosovo]], [[Afghanistan]], and [[Iraq]]. At the [[Sea Island, Georgia|Sea Islands Conference]] of the [[G8]] in 2004, the Carabinieri were given the mandate to establish a [[Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units]] ([[CoESPU]]) to spearhead the development of training and doctrinal standards for civilian police units attached to international peacekeeping missions.<ref>[http://coespu.carabinieri.it/NR/rdonlyres/4F54A33F-675A-4F65-9A59-069F73B1F71E/2085/G8_Action_Plan_EN.pdf G-8 Action Plan: Expanding global capability for peace support operations] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009150602/http://coespu.carabinieri.it/NR/rdonlyres/4F54A33F-675A-4F65-9A59-069F73B1F71E/2085/G8_Action_Plan_EN.pdf |date=2010-10-09 }}. [[Carabinieri]], June 2004.</ref>

==International stance==
[[File:Sassari Brigade on patrol, Afghanistan.jpg|thumb|Italian soldiers of the [[Mechanized Brigade "Sassari"]] in Afghanistan in 2012]]

Italy has joined in many [[United Nations|UN]], [[NATO]] and [[EU]] operations as well as with assistance to [[Russia]] and the other [[Commonwealth of Independent States|CIS]] nations, [[Middle East]] peace process, [[peacekeeping]], and combating the [[illegal drug trade]], [[human trafficking]], piracy and terrorism.

Italy did take part in the 1982 [[Multinational Force in Lebanon]] along with US, French and British troops. Italy also participated in the 1990–91 [[Gulf War]], with the deployment of eight Panavia Tornado IDS bomber jets; Italian Army troops were subsequently deployed to assist [[Kurdish people|Kurdish]] refugees in northern [[Iraq]] following the conflict.

As part of [[Operation Enduring Freedom]], Italy contributed to the international operation in [[Afghanistan]]. Italian forces have contributed to [[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]], the NATO force in [[Afghanistan]], and to the [[Provincial reconstruction team]]. Italy has sent 3,800 troops, including one infantry company from the [[2 Alpini Regiment|2nd Alpini Regiment]] tasked to protect the ISAF HQ, one engineer company, one NBC platoon, one logistic unit, as well as liaison and staff elements integrated into the operation [[command hierarchy|chain of command]]. Italian forces also command a multinational engineer task force and have deployed a platoon of Carabinieri [[military police]].

The Italian Army did not take part in combat operations of the 2003 [[Iraq War]], dispatching troops only when major combat operations were declared over by the [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[George W. Bush]]. Subsequently, Italian troops arrived in the late summer of 2003, and began patrolling [[Nasiriyah]] and the surrounding area. Italian participation in the military operations in Iraq was concluded by the end of 2006, with full withdrawal of Italian military personnel except for a small group of about 30 soldiers engaged in providing security for the Italian embassy in [[Baghdad]]. Italy played a major role in the 2004-2011 [[NATO Training Mission – Iraq|NATO Training Mission]] to assist in the development of Iraqi security forces training structures and institutions.

===Operations===
[[File:Italian Armed Forces operations.png|thumb|450px|Current operations of the Italian Armed Forces highlighted on a map of [[Afro-Eurasia]]]]
[[File:Pattugliamento strada.jpg|thumb|right|[[Alpini]] Sappers of the [[32nd Alpine Engineer Regiment]] in Afghanistan]]
[[File:MSU Mitrovica Manbox - Ibar Bridge summer 2019.jpg|thumb|350px|[[Kosovo Force|KFOR]]-[[Multinational Specialized Unit|MSU]] Carabinieri in front of the [[New Bridge, Mitrovica|Ibar Bridge]], in [[Kosovska Mitrovica|Mitrovica]], [[Kosovo]]. (2019).]]
Since the second [[post-war]] the Italian armed force has become more and more engaged in international peace support operations, mainly under the auspices of the United Nations. The Italian armed forces are currently participating in 26 missions.<ref name="Budget2014"/>

*{{UNO}}
**[[United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan|UNMOGIP]], since 1951 ([[India]] and [[Pakistan]])
**[[United Nations Truce Supervision Organization|UNTSO]], since 1958 ([[Israel]], [[Egypt]], [[Syria]] and [[Lebanon]])
**[[United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon|UNIFIL]], since 1978 (Lebanon)
**[[United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara|MINURSO]], since 1991 ([[Western Sahara]])
**[[United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus|UNFICYP]], since 2005 ([[Cyprus]])
**[[United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali|MINUSMA]], since 2013 ([[Mali]])
*{{EU}}
**[[EUFOR Althea]], since 2004 ([[Bosnia and Herzegovina]])
**[[European Union Border Assistance Mission Rafah|EUBAM Rafah]], since 2005 ([[Gaza–Egypt border]])
**[[EUPOL Afghanistan]], since 2007 ([[Afghanistan]])
**[[Operation Atalanta|EUNAVFOR Atalanta]], since 2008 ([[Gulf of Aden]])
**[[European Union Monitoring Mission|EUMM Georgia]], since 2008 ([[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[South Ossetia]] and [[Abkhazia]])
**[[European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo|EULEX Kosovo]], since 2008 ([[Kosovo]])
**[[EUTM Somalia]], since 2010 ([[Somalia]])
**[[EUCAP Nestor]], since 2012 ([[Indian Ocean]])
**[[EUCAP Sahel Niger]], since 2012 ([[Niger]])
**[[EUBAM Libya]], since 2013 ([[Libya]])
**[[EUTM Mali]], since 2013 ([[Mali]])
**[[EUFOR RCA]], since 2014 ([[Central African Republic]])
*{{flag|NATO}}
**[[Kosovo Force|KFOR]], since 1999 (Kosovo)
**[[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]], 2001-2021 (Afghanistan)
**[[Operation Active Endeavour]], since 2001 ([[Mediterranean Sea]])
**[[Operation Ocean Shield]], since 2009 (Gulf of Aden)
*Multilateral missions
**[[Temporary International Presence in Hebron|TIPH-2]], since 1997 ([[West Bank]])
**[[Operation Cyrene]], since 2011 ([[Libya]])
**[[MIADIT Somalia]], since 2013 (Somalia and [[Djibouti]])
**[[MIADIT Palestine]], since 2014 ([[West Bank]])

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Italian Army - 2nd Alpini Regiment soldier with a Beretta ARX-160 A2 assault rifle with an underslung GLX 160 grenade launcher during a training exercise in the Val Maira.jpg|Italian soldier with a [[Beretta ARX160]] assault rifle.
Italian Army - 4th Tank Regiment - Ariete tanks during an exercise at Capo Teulada October 2022.jpg|[[Ariete]] tank during manoeuvres.
Italian Army - Regiment "Nizza Cavalleria" (1st) Centauro tank destroyer during a training exercise in Valloire, France.jpg|[[B1 Centauro|Centauro]] tank destroyer
Italian aircraft carrier Cavour (550) underway in the Adriatic Sea on 2 February 2022 (220202-N-ED646-0287).JPG|[[Italian aircraft carrier Cavour|Cavour]] aircraft carrier.
Italian Army - Mechanized Brigade "Pinerolo" Freccia IFV.jpg|[[Freccia IFV|Freccia]] Infantry fighting vehicle.
Italian Army - 82nd Infantry Regiment "Torino" VBM Freccia Mortar Carrier.jpg|Freccia Heavy Mortar Carrier.
Il primo F-35B della Marina Militare in volo.jpg|Italian Navy F-35B Lightning.
Nave Duilio e Nave Bergamini.JPG|[[Italian destroyer Caio Duilio|Destroyer Caio Duilio]] and [[Italian frigate Carlo Bergamini (F 590)|Frigate Carlo Bergamini]]
Allied Spirit IV (24058403923).jpg|[[Iveco LMV]] convoy.
20150506052017!Agusta A129A Mangusta, Italy - Army (cropped).jpg|[[Agusta A129 Mangusta|A129 Mangusta]] attack helicopter.
Alpini Btn Feltre - Ex Falzarego 2011 006.jpg|Soldiers of the [[Alpini]] Battalion "Feltre", [[7th Alpini Regiment]] of the [[Italian Army]].
Salvatore Todaro (S-526).jpg|The [[Type 212 submarine|Salvatore Todaro (S-526)]] submarine.
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of Italian service weapons]]
* [[National Institute for the Honour Guard of the Royal Tombs of the Pantheon]]
* [[Uniforms of the Italian Armed Forces]]
* [[List of military equipment of Italy]]

==Citations==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book| title=The Military Balance 2021| author1=International Institute for Strategic Studies| author-link1=International Institute for Strategic Studies| date=25 February 2021| publisher=[[Routledge]]| location=[[London]]| isbn=9781032012278| ref={{SfnRef|IISS|2021}}}}

==External links==

* [https://www.difesa.it/ Official Site of Italian Ministry of Defense] {{in lang|it|en}}
* [https://www.esercito.difesa.it/ Official Site of Italian Army] {{in lang|it|en}}
* [https://www.marina.difesa.it/ Official Site of Italian Navy] {{in lang|it|en}}
* [https://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/ Official Site of Italian Air Force] {{in lang|it}}
* [https://www.carabinieri.it/ Official Site of Carabinieri] {{in lang|it}}
* [https://www.gdf.gov.it/ Official Site of Guardia di Finanza] {{in lang|it}}

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Italian Armed Forces - Revision history

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Ajay Kumar: Created a new article