MILITARY ENGINEERS IN THE ITALIAN ARMY

Despite the global restructuring of the Italian Army over the last decades, as a consequence of the change of the threats and the geopolitical situation which impacted the number of personnel and units in most of the traditional specialties (Infantry, Artillery, etc…), Engineers have kept the same level.

That happens because of the peculiarity of the Engr units (Engineers called "Genio" in Italian, literally "genius") and the great flexibility and capabilities native of this type of units being they able to act as normal maneuver units and, at the same time, to carry out specific tasks like:

• Breaching defences;

• Construction of bridges to overpass obstacles (anti-tank ditches, canals, rivers, lakes);

• Restore or interdict of passage along the main roads;

• Demolition;

• Provision of logistic facilities necessary to the other units;

• Defensive works.

Their technical ability and great dedication have characterized the history of the ITA Engr Forces, always first in deployment on Missions abroad in support of the Alliance and different Coalitions and often vigilant and heavily engaged in interventions in support of the population when natural disasters occur.

Type, organization and structure of ITA MILENG

ITA MILENG units can be categorized by type in the following way:

- Combat Engr: directly in support of manoeuver units mainly for mobility and counter mobility tasks;

- Railway Engr: dealing with railway transportation and constructions, maintenance and management of railroad tracks;

- General Support Engr: capable of constructing/repairing infrastructures (both vertically and horizontally);

- Pontoon Engr: for overcoming unfordable water gaps for movement of troops and equipment.

Currently the Corps of Engineers has been structured in formations at Regimental level: among them there are nine combat Engineers Regiments directly in support of manoeuvre Brigades located all over the national soil (namely 2^nd Mountain Regt. in Trento, 3^rd Regt. in Udine, 4^th Regt. in Palermo, 5^th Regt. in Macomer - Sardinia, 8^th Parachute Regt. in Legnago, 10^th Regt in Cremona, 11^th Regt. in Foggia, 21^st Regt. in Caserta and 32^nd Mountain Regt. in Turin) and some special units able to perform peculiar MILENG tasks (6^th Construction Regt. in Rome, 2^nd Pontoon Regt. in Piacenza and 1^st Railway Regt. in Castel Maggiore). To the aforementioned Engr units, additionally, there are the Multinational CIMIC Group (Motta di Livenza), the national C-IED Centre of Excellence and the Engr Training Regt in Rome.

Given the difference and specificity of the units' tasks and structures, they have been organized following two different concepts: all combat units are placed under the direct authority of maneuver Brigades and all the other peculiar Formations are under the direct authority of ITA Engineer Command.