26th Special Operations Helicopter Unit

The 26th Squadron – Special Operations Helicopter Unit (R.E.O.S.) is a special operation

Italian special forces

The Italian Special Forces include special forces units from several branches of the Italian Military: the Esercito Italiano or Army, the Marina Militare or Navy, the Aeronautica Militare or Air force and l'Arma dei Carabinieri...

unit of the Italian Army

Italian Army

The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...

that provides helicopter aviation support for Italian special forces

Italian special forces

. The 26th REOS is headquartered in Viterbo

Viterbo

See also Viterbo, Texas and Viterbo UniversityViterbo is an ancient city and comune in the Lazio region of central Italy, the capital of the province of Viterbo. It is approximately 80 driving / 80 walking kilometers north of GRA on the Via Cassia, and it is surrounded by the Monti Cimini and...

near Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

. The tasks of the 26th are similar to those of the US Army Night Stalkers

160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)

The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment is a special operations unit of the United States Army that provides helicopter aviation support for general purpose forces and Special Operations Forces. Its missions have included attack, assault, and reconnaissance, and are usually conducted at...

and their motto is Numquam Periclum Sine Periclo Vincitur (No danger can ever be overcome without danger).

Overview

The 26th Squadron is a special operation unit

Special forces

Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...

that provides tactical support to Italian special forces

Italian special forces

. The Squadron has capabilities to conduct its missions at night, at high speeds, low altitudes, and on short notice on all weather conditions. Previously part of the Folgore Parachute Brigade

Folgore Parachute Brigade

The Folgore Parachute Brigade is the largest unit of paratroopers of the Italian Army; a second smaller unit is the 4th Alpini Parachutist Regiment. The name Folgore is Italian for lightning....

and headquartered in Pisa

Pisa

Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...

, from 2004 the 26th REOS is part of the Italian Army Light Aviation and based in Viterbo

Viterbo

.

The 26th REOS selection and training is very rigorous and is conducted together with the basic Italian special forces

Italian special forces

training program. There is first a selection phase divided into two steps and then a training phase. The first part of the selection phase is based on several psychological and fitness tests. The second part of the selection process lasts two weeks and puts the trainees under physical and psychological stress. Those who pass the selection process move to the basic training phase of 31 weeks, which puts the trainees in a series of training environments. All trainees must attend and graduate specific courses in parachuting, close quarter combat, communications etc. Trainees who graduated from this basic special force training program are assigned to their final destination unit and will receive further advanced training in specific fields related to the tactical tasks of their unit.

This unit was deployed abroad in several occasions, the most known are:

Mission Restore Hope in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...

in 1992.
Mission Enduring Freedom
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...

in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

from 2001 on.
Operation Ancient Babylon
Operation Ancient Babylon
Operation Ancient Babylon was the code name given to the deployment of Italian forces during the Iraq War. Their mission lasted from July 15th 2003 to December 1st 2006...

in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

from 2003 to 2004.

Equipment

The 26th REOS fly AB 412

Bell 412

The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...

, CH-47Cs Plus Chinook, and NH-90.

Overview

Equipment

External links

See also