Alpine Brigade Taurinense
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| Brigata Alpina "Taurinense" | |
|---|---|
 Coat of Arms Taurinense Alpine Brigade |
|
| Active | April 15, 1952 – today Alpine Brigade Taurinense |
| Allegiance | Italian Army |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Brigade |
| Role | Alpini |
| Part of | COMALP |
| Garrison/HQ | Turin |
| Colors | green |
| Engagements | Iraq Operation Provide Comfort Bosnia SFOR Mozambique ONUMOZ Kosovo KFOR Afghanistan ISAF |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Brigadier Federico Bonato |
The Alpine Brigade Taurinense is a light Infantry brigade of the Italian Army, specializing in Mountain Combat. Its core units are the Alpini, the mountain infantry corps of the Italian Army, that distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. The brigade’s name "Taurinense" alludes to the Roman name Augusta Taurinorum of the city of Turin around which the brigade is based. The Brigade carries on the name and traditions of the 1st Alpine Division Taurinense.
Contents |
[edit] Constitution
The Taurinense was constituted on April 15, 1952 in the city of Turin. Initially the brigade was composed of the:
- HQ & HQ Platoon
4th Alpini Regiment with
Aosta Alpini battalion
Saluzzo Alpini battalion
Susa Alpini battalion- 4th Mortar Company
1st Mountain Artillery Regiment with
- Aosta Mountain Artillery group
- Susa Mountain Artillery group
- Pinerolo Mountain Artillery group
- Light Air-defense group (transferred to another brigade on January 1, 1956)
- Mixed Engineer Company (later split into a Signal Company and a Engineer Company)
In the following years the brigade was augmented with further units:
Mondovi Alpini Battalion (1953) as 4th battalion of the 4th Alpini Regiment- Alpini Parachutist Platoon (1953)
- Light Army Aviation Company (1958)
In 1962 the Mondovi Alpini Battalion and Pinerolo Mountain Artillery group were transferred to the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia to augment the Alpine Brigade Julia and in 1963 the Aosta Alpini battalion was transferred to the Alpini Formation and Training Center in Aosta, but returned to the 4th Alpini Regiment in 1967. On June 1, 1966 the 2nd Alpini Training Regiment, with four battalions named for the four Alpini Brigades to which the conscripts were sent after training: Tridentina, Orobica, Cadore and Taurinense, was transferred to the Taurinense. In 1970 the Mondovi Mountain Artillery group was raised and added to the 1st Mountain Artillery Regiment. Thus the brigade was composed of the following units in 1970:
- 4th Alpini Regiment with
- Aosta Alpini battalion
- Saluzzo Alpini battalion
- Susa Alpini battalion
2nd Alpini Training Regiment with
- Cadore Alpini Training battalion
- Orobica Alpini Training battalion
- Taurinense Alpini Training battalion
- Tridentina Alpini Training battalion
- 1st Mountain Artillery Regiment with
- Aosta Mountain Artillery group
- Susa Mountain Artillery group
- Mondovi Mountain Artillery group
- Command and Signal battalion
- Light Army Aviation company
[edit] 1975 Reorganization
In 1975 the regimental level was abolished by the Italian Army. The remaining units came under direct control of the Taurinense Brigade. Also the Aosta Alpini battalion was transferred again to the Alpini Formation and Training Center, the Susa Mountain Artillery group was renamed Pinerolo and the Mondovi Mountain Artillery group was dissolved. The 2nd Alpini Training Regiment had already been dissolved in 1974 and its four battalions were merged into a single Alpini Training battalion. In 1975 the Taurinense Logistic battalion was formed. The new composition was therefore:
- Saluzzo Alpini battalion
- Susa Alpini battalion
- Mondovi Alpini Training battalion
- Aosta Mountain Artillery group
- Pinerolo Mountain Artillery group
- Taurinense Logistic battalion
- Command and Signals battalion
- Anti-tank company
- Engineer company
- Light Army Aviation company
[edit] 1990's Reorganization
On March 23, 1991 the Pinerolo Mountain Artillery group was dissolved. In 1992 the battalions took the names of historical Alpini regiments to carry on the regimental traditions. Each regiment consisted of one of the brigades Alpini battalions and an additional support company. Furthermore the Anti-tank company was dissolved and the Command and Signals battalion was merged with the Engineer company into the newly formed Command and Tactical Support battalion. The new composition was:
- 2nd Alpini Regiment Saluzzo battalion
3rd Alpini Regiment Susa battalion- 1st Mountain Artillery Regiment Aosta Artillery group
- Mondovi Alpini Training battalion
- Command and Tactical Support battalion
- Taurinense Logistic battalion
With the suppression of the Alpine Brigade Cadore in 1997, the two remaining regiments of that brigade passed to the Alpine Brigade Julia, which in turn ceded the 9th Alpini Regiment to the Taurinense. At the same time the Mondovi Alpini Training battalion was dissolved. A fate shared by Taurinense Logistic battalion 2002. In the 2nd Railway Engineer battalion is reorganized into the 32nd Engineer battalion (in 2004 renamed 32° Alpine Engineer Regiment) and subordinated to Taurinense.
[edit] Today
Today the brigade is based in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, with the exception of the 9° Alpini Regiment which is based in the central region of Abruzzo. The brigade headquarter is in the city of Turin. Currently the brigade consists of the following units:
Taurinense Combat Service Support battalion in Turin
1° Cavalry Regiment Nizza Cavalleria (Nice Cavalry) in Pinerolo
2° Alpini Regiment Saluzzo battalion in Cuneo
3° Alpini Regiment Susa battalion in Pinerolo
9° Alpini Regiment L'Aquila battalion in L'Aquila
1 Mountain Artillery Regiment 
Aosta group in Fossano
32° Alpine Engineer Regiment 
30° battalion in Turin
[edit] Equipment
The Alpini regiments are each equipped with 21 Bv 206S tracked all-terrain armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and 26 Puma 6x6 APCs. The Cavalry regiment is equipped with 40 Centauro tank destroyers and 36 Puma 4x4 APCs. The artillery regiment fields 24 FH-70 towed howitzers.
[edit] Source
Italian Army Homepage: Alpine Brigade Taurinense
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