NATO Rapid Deployable Italian Corps
Encyclopedia
The NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Italy (NRDC-IT) (also Rapid Deployable Italian Corps) is a corps headquarters of the Italian Army
. It was established in November 2001 as a High Readiness Force (HRF) of NATO. The staff of NRDC-IT is located in Solbiate Olona
, a few kilometers northwest of Milan
. The NRDC-IT was the former 3rd Army Corps.
In 1957, the 3rd Army Corps was established in Milan, commanding three divisions and support units. The 3rd Army Corps was intended as the reserve army corps of the Italian Army during the Cold War
. Serving alongside 4th Army Corps and 5th Army Corps as part of Allied Land Forces Southern Europe (LANDSOUTH), the corps would have been charged with destruction of any Warsaw Pact
forces which might have broken through the two forward corps' defence lines.
During almost 40 years of activity the Corps played a key role in contributing and supporting the Italian Contingent deployed in Lebanon in 1982. In 1984 the corps consisted of the 131 Armoured Division Centauro
(Novara), (comprising the Legnano Mechanised Infantry Brigade at Bergamo
, the 3rd 'Goito' Mechanised Infantry Brigade at Milan
, and the 31ª Brigata corazzata “Curtatone” at Bellinzago Novarese
), the 'Cremona' Motorised Brigade at Torino, the 3º Battaglione genio pionieri “Lario”, stanziato a Pavia, the 3º Battaglione trasmissioni “Spluga”, stationed at Milan
, the 3º Battaglione logistico di manovra, stationed at Milan
, the 3º Raggruppamento ALE “Eridano”, stanziato at Bresso
, the Reggimento artiglieria a cavallo “Voloire”, stationed at Milan
, the 3º Gruppo artiglieria specialisti “Brianza”, stationed at Milan
, and the 53º Gruppo Squadroni EM “Cassiopea”, stationed at Padova.
At the end of the Cold War in 1989 the 3rd Army Corps consisted of the Armored Brigade Centauro, the Mechanized Infantry Brigade Goito, the Mechanized Infantry Brigade Legnano, and the Motorized Infantry Brigade Cremona.
Furthermore, its units participated in Operation IBIS in Somalia in 1993/4. Finally, in 1997 the Corps assumed responsibility for Operation Alba
in Albania, the first multinational Italian-led Mission ever. Fifteen contributing Nations brought humanitarian aid to a country that was in a dramatic economic and political situation.
In 1998, in the wake of the restructuring of the Italian Army, the 3rd IT Corps was transformed into the Projection Forces Headquarters (FOP) in command and control of three Brigades, which were characterized by high mobility and deployability.
, Brunssum or Lisbon
. Its staff currently (2006) comprises soldiers from 15 NATO member states, but the Commander and a large part of the staff are Italian. Normally, the Corps commands only a support regiment and the 1st Signals Regiment of the Italian Army, but if necessary it can command further support units as well as a number of divisions or brigades.
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...
. It was established in November 2001 as a High Readiness Force (HRF) of NATO. The staff of NRDC-IT is located in Solbiate Olona
Solbiate Olona
Solbiate Olona is a comune in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 30 km northwest of Milan and about 20 km south of Varese...
, a few kilometers northwest of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. The NRDC-IT was the former 3rd Army Corps.
In 1957, the 3rd Army Corps was established in Milan, commanding three divisions and support units. The 3rd Army Corps was intended as the reserve army corps of the Italian Army during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Serving alongside 4th Army Corps and 5th Army Corps as part of Allied Land Forces Southern Europe (LANDSOUTH), the corps would have been charged with destruction of any Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
forces which might have broken through the two forward corps' defence lines.
During almost 40 years of activity the Corps played a key role in contributing and supporting the Italian Contingent deployed in Lebanon in 1982. In 1984 the corps consisted of the 131 Armoured Division Centauro
131 Armoured Division Centauro
The 131st Armoured Division Centauro was an armoured division of the Italian Army during World War II. It was formed in February 1939, by upgrading the 1st Armoured Brigade . It took part in operations in Albania, Greece and Yugoslavia before returning to Italy...
(Novara), (comprising the Legnano Mechanised Infantry Brigade at Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
, the 3rd 'Goito' Mechanised Infantry Brigade at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, and the 31ª Brigata corazzata “Curtatone” at Bellinzago Novarese
Bellinzago Novarese
Bellinzago Novarese is a comune in the Province of Novara in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 km northeast of Turin and about 15 km north of Novara...
), the 'Cremona' Motorised Brigade at Torino, the 3º Battaglione genio pionieri “Lario”, stanziato a Pavia, the 3º Battaglione trasmissioni “Spluga”, stationed at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, the 3º Battaglione logistico di manovra, stationed at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, the 3º Raggruppamento ALE “Eridano”, stanziato at Bresso
Bresso
Bresso is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 8 km north of Milan. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 27,052 and an area of 3.38 km²...
, the Reggimento artiglieria a cavallo “Voloire”, stationed at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, the 3º Gruppo artiglieria specialisti “Brianza”, stationed at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, and the 53º Gruppo Squadroni EM “Cassiopea”, stationed at Padova.
At the end of the Cold War in 1989 the 3rd Army Corps consisted of the Armored Brigade Centauro, the Mechanized Infantry Brigade Goito, the Mechanized Infantry Brigade Legnano, and the Motorized Infantry Brigade Cremona.
Furthermore, its units participated in Operation IBIS in Somalia in 1993/4. Finally, in 1997 the Corps assumed responsibility for Operation Alba
Operation Alba
Operation Alba was a multinational peacekeeping force sent to Albania in 1997. Led by Italy, it was intended to help the Albanian government restore law and order in their troubled country after the 1997 rebellion in Albania....
in Albania, the first multinational Italian-led Mission ever. Fifteen contributing Nations brought humanitarian aid to a country that was in a dramatic economic and political situation.
In 1998, in the wake of the restructuring of the Italian Army, the 3rd IT Corps was transformed into the Projection Forces Headquarters (FOP) in command and control of three Brigades, which were characterized by high mobility and deployability.
Structure
NRDC-IT is operationally led by the Joint Force Command Headquarters in NaplesAllied Joint Force Command Naples
Allied Joint Force Command Naples is a NATO military command. It was activated on 15 March 2004, after what was effectively a redesignation of its predecessor command, Allied Forces Southern Europe , originally formed in 1951...
, Brunssum or Lisbon
Joint Command Lisbon
Allied Joint Force Command Lisbon or JFC Lisbon is one of the three main subdivisions of NATO's Allied Command Operations. It is based in Oeiras, near Lisbon, Portugal...
. Its staff currently (2006) comprises soldiers from 15 NATO member states, but the Commander and a large part of the staff are Italian. Normally, the Corps commands only a support regiment and the 1st Signals Regiment of the Italian Army, but if necessary it can command further support units as well as a number of divisions or brigades.
Exercises
From its establishment until its deployment in Afghanistan, NRDC-IT has participated in the following exercises:- Lion Start (5 to 8 February 2002, Solbiate Olona)
- Spear Head (16 to 25 April 2002, Ramstein, Germany)
- Hot Red Fire (11 to 14 June 2002, Solbiate Olona, Turbigo, La Conigliera)
- Eagle Flight (2 September to 15 October 2002, Civitavecchia)
- Light Ship (3 to 13 December 2002, Civitavecchia)
- Sharp Dagger (21 April to 2 May 2003, Wildflecken, Germany)
- Northern Light (15 to 26 September 2003, Luce Bay, Scotland)
- Roman Warrior (10 to 27 November 2003, Solbiate Olona, Varese)
- Eagle Landing (15 March to 2 April 2004, Legnano, Novara, Solbiate Olona)
- Allied Action (1 May to 8 June 2004, Civitavecchia and Monteromano)
- Eagle Recce (27 to 31 July 2004, Cameri, Vergiate, Solbiate Olona)
- Destined Glory (28 September to 15 October 2004, Cagliari and Capo Teulada)
- Ready to Move (25 October to 26 November 2004, Solbiate Olona)
- Eagle Focus 1-2-3 (25 January to 28 February 2005, Solbiate Olona)
- Eagle Action (6 to 14 May 2005, Solbiate Olona)
- Eagle Thunder (7 to 23 June 2005, Stavanger, Norway)