With this third and final chapter we close the journey that began with the origins of Italian special forces (Arditi and MAS Flotillas) and continued in the period between the two wars and World War II.

Here we recount the postwar rebirth, the development during the Cold War, the professionalization from the '70s–'80s, the inter-service integration at the beginning of the new millennium and the current structure, with a red thread running from the Great War to contemporary theaters of operations.

The postwar period: rebuilding doctrine and units (1946–'60s)

The defeat of 1945 not only wiped out resources and structures: it made necessary a complete rethinking of operational culture. The restrictions of the Treaty of Paris slowed down for several years the reconstitution of “special” units, but did not erase the intangible heritage: experience, method, intuitions.

Many of the veterans of the Folgore Division, the Arditi Units and the X MAS Flotilla were able to transform the lessons of war into rules of peace: strict selection, realistic training, small agile units, freedom of initiative in the field, multi-specialist synchronization (land–air–sea), essential logistics.

Army: the Parachutist Saboteurs are born

On April 20, 1953 the Army General Staff established at the Infantry School of Cesano the Special Company, an experimental unit composed of two platoons of paratroopers (conscripts and re-enlisted) and a carabinieri platoon.

The Company—under the operational command of the Army General Staff Operations Office and the administrative command of the Infantry School—was entrusted to Capt. Edoardo Acconci. Previously, in 1952, some former Arditi officers had begun discreetly, at the Military Parachutism Center of Viterbo, the reconstruction of a nucleus of specialized fighters which, in September of that year, became the Special Platoon of the 1st Parachutist Company, under the command of Lt. Franco Falcone.

Trained on the Arditi model, with additional training in water jumps and swimming, that nucleus gave credibility to the project among Defense leadership, laying the foundation for the future Parachutist Saboteurs unit.

The innovation was twofold: the Company was organized outside the schemes of traditional airborne units and shaped for specific training, aimed at missions of offensive operations behind enemy lines. The Army General Staff's orientation provided for strategic employment in every environment, natural and operational—a distinctive feature that, even then, qualified it as a true Special Force.

The man of El Alamein, heart of the project

The key figure in this transition was Edoardo Acconci, a veteran of the 185th Folgore Division and survivor of the Battle of El Alamein (1942), who carried with him a rare wealth of experience. A polyglot, infantry officer and later Paratrooper (certificate no. 1211), he fought in North Africa leading deep reconnaissance patrols, close combat and capture/destruction operations of vehicles.

Captured by the British on November 6, 1942 at 18:00, he returned to Italy on September 23, 1946 – after seven escape attempts – and was assigned to minefield clearance operations (B.C.M.), an extremely high-risk activity that further expanded his technical and human expertise.

At El Alamein, the Paratroopers of the Folgore found themselves, despite their wishes, operating in an asymmetric manner; practices and expedients matured in that context were later "put on record" by Edoardo Acconci and harmonized with the doctrine and operational canon experimented by the Arditi Units of World War II, themselves heirs to the victorious experiences of the Great War (1915–18).

Retained in permanent service for war merits in 1951 and transferred to the Military Parachuting Center in 1952, between May and July of that same year Captain Acconci attended the Ranger course in the United States, further expanding his doctrinal and technical knowledge. In 1953 he assumed command of the Paratrooper Saboteurs Company at Cesano, transforming into method what in war had often been "excellence craftsmanship": aptitude selection, progressive training, reconnaissance and deception techniques, fire and maneuver synchronization, rigorous mission planning and debriefing as a lever for doctrinal growth. In this sense, Acconci was the bridge between the daring tradition – filtered and strengthened by the El Alamein experience – and a modern conception of asymmetric operations.

The training path for aspiring Saboteurs was modeled for strategic employment in any environment: sabotage techniques; rock climbing and mountain movement; skiing and mobility in snowy environments; hand-to-hand combat; familiarization with a wide range of weapons and vehicles (including armored vehicles); networks and radio "bridges" with management of related "meshes"; cartography and land navigation.

For candidates judged suitable from a psycho-physical perspective, the deepening of amphibious modules was planned at the Varignano Arditi Incursori Group (then MariSubArdIn, today COMSUBIN), confirming an early land-sea integration that would make the future 9th Assault Paratrooper Regiment "Col Moschin" one of the most prepared and capable units within NATO.

From the seed planted in 1953 with the Special Company to maturation into Unit and then Saboteurs Battalion, an Italian model of special forces takes shape that unites selection, doctrine, multi-domain and discipline of action—a direct legacy of the Arditi, translated into modern method.

With the transformation of the Company into Paratrooper Saboteurs Unit (June 1, 1957), Captain Acconci was confirmed in command until June 30, 1959.

He returned to the helm of the Unit on 17 February 1963, which had meanwhile become the Parachute Saboteurs Battalion, and left command on 15 August 1964, bidding farewell to his men with an order of the day that went down in the unit's history:

To my Men whom I have seen grow and establish themselves within this family that I founded 12 years ago, my paternal embrace and wishes, the most affectionate, for ever greater achievements in the name of the Parachute Saboteurs in service of our beloved Homeland. Long live Italy, Folgore

Italian Navy: at Varignano the heirs of the MAS flotillas

On the naval front, in 1952 Admiral Corso Pecori Giraldi entrusts Lieutenant Commander Aldo Massarini with the task of studying the reconstitution of a unit of underwater raiders, integrating the experiences of combat divers and paratroopers.

With the progressive revocation of the Paris constraints, the Arditi Incursori Group is born at Varignano, formalized by Order Sheet No. 44 of 30 May 1952 and placed under the command of Maricentrosub La Spezia. At the initiative of Admiral Gino Birindelli, commander of Maricentrosub, the unit is reorganized and in 1956 assumes the name MariSubArdIn. From 1962 training extends to airborne operations and mountain combat, marking the land-sea-air hybridization that will become the mantra of raiders of any Armed Force.

In 1964 the Light Aircraft Section (S.A.L.) is established at Alghero-Fertilia, under the command of the Special Units Grouping (R.U.S.): a piece that shows how early the aerial dimension is perceived as a force multiplier for small, fast, clandestine units.

Between Cold War and domestic terrorism: specialization and countermeasures (1970s-1980s)

The East/West competition and, in Italy, the long period of terrorist threat impose a qualitative leap. General-purpose raiders are no longer enough: cells dedicated to counterterrorism and inter-force capabilities are needed to operate at night, from a distance, with surgical precision.

Already in 1967, the Cima Vallona massacre — in which three parachute saboteurs, a parachute carabiniere and an alpine fell — showed the employment of saboteurs also in a counterterrorism function on national territory.

In 1975 the Saboteurs Battalion followed the fate of the reborn Parachute Brigade "Folgore" in which it was incorporated, assuming the name 9th Assault Parachute Battalion "Col Moschin"; in October 1976 it was awarded the War Flag of the X Regiment Arditi.

Following the sharp escalation of attacks during the Years of Lead, in June 1977 the Trevi Plan was signed in Rome to counter national and international terrorism. The government decides to establish specific units within the most trained units of the Armed Forces: the saboteurs of "Col Moschin" and the raiders of COMSUBIN. This 24/7 rapid deployment personnel in a counterterrorism function is trained for operations in civil contexts (possible hostage rescue from buildings, aircraft, ships, trains, buses), with training support from the British SAS already employed with German and Israeli special units. These units, however, would never be deployed operationally, except for an alert the day after the abduction of Aldo Moro (March 1978), later cancelled when UNIS was already aboard the vehicles.

On October 24, 1977 Interior Minister Francesco Cossiga signs the decree establishing the U.N.I.S. – Special Intervention Units, to support investigations with “commando” operations. Simultaneously, the GIS of the Carabinieri (selected from the 1st Parachute Carabinieri Battalion, operational from February 1978) and the NOCS of the Police are created. These two units will be deployed in the main counter-terrorism and hostage liberation operations on national territory: from December 1980 (riot at Trani prison) to January 1982 with the liberation of US General James Lee Dozier.

On December 30, 1985, by order of Defense Minister Giovanni Spadolini, the Special Operations Groups (GOS) are officially established. This is an important change: selected elements from the 9th “Col Moschin” and from COMSUBIN are integrated to support SISMI intelligence operations. Italy equips itself with a coordinated clandestine capability typical of the final phase of the Cold War and indirect confrontation in third-party theaters.

Peacekeeping and “entry force”: the role of Special Forces

With the rise of peace/peacekeeping missions from the 1980s onwards, Italian Special Forces become entry forces: they open access corridors, conduct special reconnaissance, secure key points (ports, airports, road junctions), establish forward bases and, when the situation deteriorates, execute surgical operations to restore freedom of movement and protect civilians and military personnel.

In Lebanon (1983), within the Multinational Force, Italian forces employ typical SOF capabilities for area assessment, advanced force protection and liaison with allied units and local authorities: a model that anticipates modern peacekeeping, in which tactical intelligence, discretion and operational readiness are as valuable as armored vehicles.

In Somalia, Operation IBIS launched in late 1992 culminates in the famous “Pasta Factory” battle (July 2, 1993): the context shows how, even in UN missions, rapid intervention is decisive in protecting logistics convoys, checkpoints and sensitive areas in a hostile urban environment.

On the Balkans front, with IFOR/SFOR in Bosnia (from 1995–1996 to the late 1990s), Italy fully enters the NATO-led cycle: Special Forces operate in interoperability with allied partners, integrating joint C2, JTAC/terminal guidance and precision targeting in support of stabilization, control of critical areas and security of movements.

In parallel, in the mid-1990s, the 9th “Col Moschin” conducts “Seahorse” operations: an exfiltration/NEO package (Non-combatant Evacuation Operations) for the recovery of nationals in suddenly turbulent areas. These are rapid, discreet and high-risk interventions that require modular planning and extractions within very tight time windows in close coordination with diplomacy, intelligence and aviation. This line of work consolidates the role of special forces as a tool of national and international readiness, capable of protecting citizens and Italian interests well beyond borders, even outside the spotlight.

Special operations live on mobility and timing. In 1992 the 39th Squadron Group "Drago" introduces NVG systems and advanced night procedures: understanding, penetrating and striking in darkness becomes routine. In the same period the 26th Squadron Group "Giove", part of the Parachute Brigade "Folgore", specializes in operations with paratroopers and raiders, then transforms into the 26th Special Operations Helicopter Unit (REOS): an air unit designed for special operations needs, with trained crews, low-altitude infiltrations, complex extractions and resupply "under threat".

The new millennium, (2000-today): joint forces and NATO projection

September 11, 2001 and cascading crises change the landscape: hybrid conflicts, areas with weak governance and widespread technologies. Italian special forces expand, integrate and project alongside allies in increasingly complex asymmetric scenarios.

In March 2003 the RIAM (Air Force Raiders Unit) is born from the Air Force, destined to evolve into the 17th Raider Wing (2008): sabotage of critical infrastructure, personnel recovery, target identification and designation and support to air operations (fixed and rotary wing), with a marked joint forces character.

The joint forces brain: C.O.F.S. (2004)

2004 marks the organizational turning point: the C.O.F.S. – Joint Command for Special Forces Operations is established, the central command for planning, coordination and employment of special forces. In the same year the GIS is formally recognized as a special force in full standing within the joint forces framework.

From December 1st, 2004, with Parachutist Raider General Marco Bertolini at the helm, COFS consolidates procedures, interoperability, joint planning and NATO relations.

In 2008 it achieves the status of planning command; in 2021 NATO validates it as SOCC (Deployable component command for Special Operations) for the NATO Response Force: a substantial recognition of capability.

Operational theaters: everywhere

Italian Special Forces have operated and operate in the most turbulent areas to protect the national interest: protection of citizens and critical infrastructure, NEO (Non-combatant Evacuation Operations), HR (Hostage Recovery), security of energy and maritime routes, capacity building and military assistance to partner forces, as well as contribution to UN/NATO/EU missions as a high-readiness force.

From the Balkans to the Middle East, Italian special forces open corridors, anticipate the tactical situation through ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance) and special reconnaissance (SR), execute targeted direct actions (DA) and enable local forces through military assistance (MA), integrating joint forces and inter-agency capabilities.

A specific mention deserves the deployment in Afghanistan: in 2006, as part of the ISAF operation, the Task Force 45 (TF-45) is established, the largest Italian special forces deployment of the post-war period.

Under exclusive operational command of the 9th Assault Regiment "Col Moschin", integrated by COMSUBIN/GOI, 17th Incursors Wing and Carabinieri (GIS), as well as ISR assets and Army Aviation, TF-45 conducts counterterrorism (CT), counterinsurgency (COIN) and special reconnaissance (SR) operations of high complexity, including night infiltrations/exfiltrations, target identification and designation and precision support in close coordination with allies.

An experience that has consolidated and strengthened standards, interoperability and doctrine across the entire sector.

The "Special Forces Brigade" is born, the COMFOSE

In 2013, in Pisa, the COMFOSE – Command of Army Special Forces is established, a brigade-level unit, to coordinate Special Forces (FS), Special Operations Forces (FOS) and support units destined for OS. It is a strategic choice consistent with the 2012 Military Instrument Reform: to standardize standards, training, selection, logistics, career paths and personnel management.

The COMFOSE coordinates:

• 9th Assault Parachute Regiment "Col Moschin" – (Livorno);
• 185th Reconnaissance Acquisition Target Parachute Regiment "Folgore" – (Livorno);
• 4th Alpine Parachute Regiment "Ranger" – (Verona);
• CE.ADD.OS. – Special Operations Training Center;
• Special Operations Support Unit.

In parallel, on the "rotary wing" side, the Army structures a dedicated unit, the 3rd REOS "Aldebaran", trained in flight profiles typical of special operations, coordinated with COFS in inter-force operations.

The legal framework is updated (2015)

With art. 7-bis of law December 11, 2015, no. 198, it is established that intelligence services (in particular AISE) can avail themselves of special forces for specific missions abroad. This thus fills a regulatory gap, aligning Italy with Euro-Atlantic models and strengthening the intelligence-FS cooperation architecture to address transnational threats.

System maturity: validations, tiering and interoperability (2017-today)

The growing NATO employment of Italian special forces leads in 2017 to a strengthening of the structure: the number of units qualified as Tier 1 is expanded. In October 2018, during the "Dark Night 2018" exercise, the Tier 1 is validated for:

• 4th Alpine Parachute Regiment "Ranger";
• 185th RAO Parachute Regiment "Folgore".

Together with the 9th "Col Moschin", the GOI/COMSUBIN, the 17th Incursors Wing and the GIS, the hard core of the Italian FS at high readiness is thus defined, fully interoperable within NATO SOF. In 2024, Tier 2 is formalized for the 1st Parachute Carabinieri Regiment "Tuscania", which remains the privileged selection pool for the GIS and a key piece in stability policing and advanced force protection missions.

Who does what: units and support

Special Forces (FS) units

• 9° Reggimento d'Assalto Paracadutisti "Col Moschin" (Army – Tier 1): terrestrial raids, special reconnaissance, MOUT, infiltration with HAHO/HALO drops, direct action, special reconnaissance, military assistance.
• 4° Reggimento Alpini Paracadutisti "Ranger" (Army – Tier 1): operations in mountainous/hostile environments, prolonged duration, deep reconnaissance, counter-insurgency in extreme climates.
• 185° RAO "Folgore" (Army – Tier 1): target acquisition, target designation, liaison with joint units.
• GOI – Gruppo Operativo Incursori (Navy – Tier 1): special naval warfare, VBSS, port/offshore sabotage, ship liberation, amphibious and underwater capabilities.
• 17° Stormo Incursori (Air Force – Tier 1): air-centric SOF, personnel recovery, terminal guidance, sabotage of aeronautical infrastructure, complex air insertions.
• GIS – Gruppo Intervento Speciale (Carabinieri – Tier 1): counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, high-risk operations in civilian/hybrid contexts, overseas projection.
• 1° Reggimento Carabinieri Paracadutisti "Tuscania" (Carabinieri – Tier 2): advanced force protection, security in hostile environments, GIS selection pool, stability policing.

Operational support for Special Operations (SOOS)

Special forces rely on dedicated support:

• 3° REOS "Aldebaran" (Army): rotary wing for special operations, NVG profiles, special infiltrations/extractions;
• 21° Gruppo Volo of the 9° Stormo "F. Baracca" (AF): tactical transport and air-to-SOF support;
• Helicopter Assault Unit of the 1° Gruppo Elicotteri (Navy): amphibious capability and assault from naval platforms;
• 11° Reggimento Trasmissioni (Army) and 28° Reggimento Comunicazioni "Pavia" (Army): C4ISR, cyber security, defensive/offensive electronic warfare, "last mile" links and reach-back.

The "crown jewel" units

The COFS can deploy, depending on the theater, crown jewel units that expand the range of capabilities:

• Reconnaissance platoons paratroopers of the 183°, 186°, 187° "Folgore";
• 1° Squadrone Esploratori paracadutisti "Savoia Cavalleria (3°)";
• Amphibious reconnaissance platoon "Serenissima" (lagunari);
• Combat support company of the 1° Reggimento "San Marco";
• Fucilieri dell'Aria of the 9° Stormo and STOS of the 16° Stormo "Force Protection".

This "pyramid" architecture allows scaling operational effort: Tier 1 FS nuclei, dedicated support, and a crown of reconnaissance/enabling assets that expand persistence, coverage and interdiction.

The operators: selection, courses, certifications, specializations

In the Army, training is divided into a common phase and a specialist phase:

Common Phase (COMFOSE/CE.ADD.OS.)

• Physical selection (progressive tests);
• Aptitude selection (2 weeks, psychophysical and motivational stress tests);
• Military parachuting (CAPAR Pisa, automatic opening) for those not from airborne units;
• OBOS – Basic Special Operations Operator (≈ 12 weeks), tactical fundamentals, advanced marksmanship, topography, communications, TCCC, planning.
• SERE level C: Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Extraction.

Specialist Phase

• Incursore (≈ 50+ weeks at 9° "Col Moschin");
• Acquisitore (≈ 50+ weeks at 185° RAO);
• Ranger (≈ 40+ weeks at 4°);

Special Operations Support Roles

• Special Operations Machine Gunner (crew-served weapons);
• STOS Operator (Special Operations Tactical Support), with expertise in protection, communications, mobility.

The "Incursore" Certification (DM 2 May 1984)

The military "Incursore" certification entails a personnel record change and a specific benefits package (including the Incursori supplement equal to 180% of the base operational allowance under Law 78/1983, plus Special Forces allowances). Courses are organized by:

• Army (via COMFOSE/CE.ADD.OS.);
• Navy (Varignano Incursori School, ≈ 1 year in three phases + final phase);
• Air Force (BIAM at Furbara ≈ 4 months + PC-FS ≈ 6 months);
• Carabinieri (for GIS, candidates from "Tuscania", ≈ 1 year in two phases).

What Italian Special Forces Do

"Core" Tasks

• Direct action: sabotage, raids on high-value objectives, surgical strikes;
• Special reconnaissance: deep observation, battlefield shaping, target designation;
• Military assistance: training, mentoring, partner force enablement.

"Plus" Tasks

• Counter-terrorism and hostage rescue (GIS primarily, but also joint task forces in theater);
• Non-combatant evacuation operations (NEO) from unstable areas;
• CBRN Counter-proliferation (chemical, nuclear, biological, radiological).

The value of Special Forces is not merely "tactical." It is strategic: small formations with high expertise solve problems that large conventional units cannot address without escalation. They are political as well as military tools: they enable sending signals, creating deterrence, negotiating from a position of strength.

The "Four Pillars" of Organization: COFS, 2nd Mobile Brigade, 1st Aero Special Operations Brigade, COMFOSE

• COFS (2004): joint brain for special operations planning and execution, NATO-validated as SOCC;
• 2nd Mobile Brigade Carabinieri (2001): commands forces deployed abroad, including GIS and Tuscania;
• 1st Aero Brigade "Special Operations" (Air Force, 2007): governance umbrella for air special operations/special task force units;
• COMFOSE (Army, 2013): harmonizes standards, methods, and training for the land special forces sector.

All special forces units, while reporting to their respective Armed Forces, are under COFS during operations, which in turn reports to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This ensures that doctrine, chain of command, and logistics speak the same language, from the political order to the last operator on the ground.

Continuity and discontinuity: from the Arditi to the inter-service network

Looking back, the path appears coherent:

• Continuity: small units, strict selection, initiative on the ground, integration of means, calculated audacity;
• Discontinuity: technology (NVG, ISR platforms, cyber), legal framework, inter-service planning, NATO interoperability, culture of precision engagement.

The figure of Edoardo Acconci offers a powerful symbol: from the "artisan" action in the African desert to doctrinal formalization at Cesano, to the current Italian SOF ecosystem – where every action is codified, trained, validated, measured.

Conclusions: a sharp and concrete spearhead

Today's Italian Special Forces are professional, integrated, deployable. They have learned to strike little and well, to see first and farther, to support partners in fragile theaters, to operate in the shadows when needed. The NATO validation of the COFS as a deployable SOCC confirms one fact: Italy is not a minor player in the SOF world, but a credible and reliable actor.

And yet, their greatest strength remains the same as the Arditi's: the man.

Selected, trained, accountable.

From the Battle of the Solstice to the skies of Pisa, from training fjords to Afghan dust, from the docks of Varignano to the night bridges of the REOS: it is the quality of the operator – mind and character – that makes the difference.

The history that began a century ago is not an album of exploits: it is a method. Italian special forces have transformed that intuition into a system.

And for this reason, today, when policy seeks solutions in ambiguous and highly sensitive scenarios, Italy can respond with a spearhead that unites tradition and innovation, prudence and decision, discretion and concreteness.

Did you miss the first two articles? Click here:

Part I – The origins and the First World War (1914-1918)

Part II: Between the two wars and the Second World War