In the past few days, the paratroopers of the `Folgore` Brigade have taken part in the NATO international exercise `Swift Response 2025`, allied with Defender ’25, and part of the broader picture of the Large Scale Global Exercises. The exercises took place in Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.
Following a phase of joint planning with the 173rd Airborne Brigade (USA), the maroon berets boarded Italian C-130 aircraft and American C-17s at the Cerklje (Slovenia) and Spangdahlem (Germany) air bases.
Afterwards, they were dropped onto the Memel drop zone of the Gaziunai training area (Lithuania), where they carried out a Joint Forcible Entry Operation, securing and ensuring the safety of the airport area.
On board of German NH-90 helicopters, they performed an air assault near the Pabrade training area (Lithuania). Subsequently, they carried out a complex `live fire combined arms breach operation`, that is, a less complex level fire attack with the opening of a gap in a minefield by paratrooper sappers and the support of American artillery perfectly integrated into the manoeuvre.
In the following days, intense training continued with offensive and defensive combat in complex urban areas (polygons for Military Operations in Urban Terrain – MOUT) and anti-tank shooting activity with the Spike LR-1.
The 187th Paratroopers Regiment `Folgore` deployed on the ground a tactical group command and a minor complex reinforced by a platoon of the 8th Paratrooper Engineer Regiment `Folgore`, a team from the 185th Paratrooper Artillery Regiment `Folgore`, a Platoon of Paratrooper Scouts from the 183rd Paratrooper Regiment `Nembo`, a Drop Zone Security Team of the Parachuting Training Centre and a technical-logistical component of the 184th Paratrooper Regiment `Nembo` and the Logistic Regiment `Folgore`.
The `Swift Response` is not only a fundamental opportunity for improving the projection capabilities of the NATO air troops from the air but also a valuable opportunity to test the effectiveness of operating procedures, materials, and equipment, as well as command and control capabilities in complex scenarios that anticipate entry into non-permissive operations areas.
This exercise confirms the ongoing commitment of the Paratrooper Brigade `Folgore`, as a major combat unit in reserve for the needs of the Army, in ensuring the readiness and effectiveness of the land military tool in facing emerging challenges in the difficult current international context.
Source and photo credit: Italian Army- Folgore Brigade/187th Paratrooper Regiment Folgore
