The “Mangusta 2025” exercise, which involved over 1800 military personnel from 7 different nations across the provinces of Pisa, Livorno, Siena, Pistoia, and Grosseto, has concluded. This year’s exercise was conducted in conjunction with the Army Aviation’s CAEX II (_Complex Aviation Exercise_), and the MUFLONE, from the Special Forces Command of the Army.
The ‘Mangusta’ is the main annual training event for the “Folgore” Paratroopers Brigade. Its aim is to verify the ability of airborne units to plan, prepare and conduct an airborne operation in a high-intensity combat scenario. This includes area denial and counter-denial activities designed to restrict the enemy’s freedom of movement and ensure tactical superiority on the ground. Furthermore, it involves conducting a JFEO (_Joint Forcible Entry Operation_) which foresees an airborne deployment and the seizure and holding of a strategic target.
The uniqueness of the ‘Mangusta’ lies in the fact that tactical events are dynamically generated on the ground through direct confrontation between opposing forces. This creates an extremely realistic and unpredictable context that stimulates decision-making readiness of the Commanders and tests the resilience of the units.
The activities, carried out continuously both day and night, included phases of combat in woodland and underground environments using dummy ammunition and simulation systems to ensure maximum training realism.
Activities focused on the development and testing of new technologies, which are becoming increasingly crucial in modern operational scenarios.
In addition to new systems of satellite communication, encryption, modular field tactical power supply, which can also be integrated with solar panels, were used. The “Imperio” Command and Control System, and the “C2 DN EVO” system were also deployed, allowing Command Posts to plan and coordinate operations in real-time during each phase of the exercise.
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Attention was also paid to the use of drones, which further expanded observation, surveillance and target acquisition capabilities.
The ‘Mangusta 2025’ served as an important opportunity to strengthen cooperation and integration within the so-called Airborne Community.
The Airborne Community
The participants in this edition included the Folgore Paratroopers Brigade, the Japanese 1st Airborne Brigade, the French 11th Parachute Brigade, the British 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, the German Paratrooper Regiment 31 and the Airborne Reconnaissance Company 260, the Spanish “Almogávares” VI Paratrooper Brigade and the “Rey Alfonso XIII” Legion Brigade and the Polish 6th Airborne Brigade.
The Presence of the Army Aviation
The exercise saw the joint contribution of several Armed Forces and specialized units. In particular, the Army Aviation used CH-47F, UH-90A, AH-129D, UH-205A and UH-168B/D rotary wing carriers for heli-assault and air transport activities.
The Participation of the Air Force
The Air Force provided support with C-27J and C-130J transport aircraft from the 46th Air Brigade, used for the airborne deployment of loads and personnel. It also participated with paratrooper personnel “Air Rifles” from the 16th “Force Protection” Wing, providing logistical and coordination support for the flight activity from the 4th Wing.
The Device of the Carabinieri
To complete the inter-force device, the 2nd Mobile Carabinieri Brigade participated with units from the 1st Paratroopers Carabinieri Regiment “Tuscania”, the 7th Carabinieri Regiment “Trentino Alto Adige” and the 13th Carabinieri Regiment “Friuli Venezia Giulia”.
The 1st Tuscania performed typical Special Forces actions, while the units of the 7th and 13th contributed to the security and control in the exercise area and the tactical activities of counter-denial.
This synergy allowed for effective operation in a multi-domain operational environment, promoting interoperability between units, systems, and procedures, and helping to consolidate coordination and integration capabilities.
The Army Units Deployed
In addition to all the Units of the “Folgore” Paratroopers Brigade, the exercise saw the participation of the: 1st Army Aviation Regiment “Antares”, 4th Army Aviation Regiment “Altair”, 5th Army Aviation Regiment “Rigel”, 7th Army Aviation Regiment “Vega”, 66th Airmobile Infantry Regiment “Trieste”, 87th Tactical Command and Supports Department “Friuli”, 9th Paratrooper Assault Regiment “Col Moschin”, 185th Paratroopers Reconnaissance Acquisiton of Targets Regiment “Folgore”, 4th Alpine Paratroopers Regiment, 1st Regiment “Granatieri di Sardegna”, 33rd Tactical and Logistic Support Regiment “Ambrosian”, 33rd EW Regiment, 13th HUMINT Regiment, 9th Cyber Security Regiment “Rombo” and 4th Health Department “Bolzano” and specialty assets equipped with “Stinger” weapon system of the 121st Anti-aircraft artillery Regiment “Ravenna”.
Sources and photo credits @General Office of the Army Chief of Staff/Office of Public Information and Communication – Sz. PI.
