Exercise “Cingoli ardenti”: tanks, engineers, artillery, and logistics in integrated action

In the Persano Military Area (Salerno), the exercise “Cingoli ardenti” recently took place, a training activity at the Complesso Minore Pluriarma level that involved multiple units of the Italian Army in a dynamic and realistic operational scenario. The main objective was to test and develop combined capabilities of maneuver, reaction, and support in highly complex contexts.

The exercise saw the coordinated participation of units from different regiments: the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment led the operational activities, alongside the 4th Tank Regiment, the 21st Engineer Regiment, the 52nd Artillery Regiment “Torino”, the 8th Artillery Regiment “Pasubio”, and the Logistics Regiment “Garibaldi”. Each regiment made a fundamental contribution to the development of the training, expressing specific capabilities within the framework of interfunctional cooperation.

The multi-arm configuration allowed for the execution of offensive, defensive, and enabling maneuvers, conducted through Live Exercise (LIVEX) and Field Training Exercise (FTX), aimed at improving operational readiness and interoperability among different specialties.

Drones, obstacles, and indirect fire: a multidomain training

“Cingoli ardenti” represented a testing ground for the experimentation of new technical-tactical procedures (TTP), particularly against emerging threats such as the hostile use of drones or the need to operate in environments with a high density of physical and technological obstacles.

The 21st Engineer Regiment played a central role in managing and overcoming obstacles, clearing the field, and protecting friendly forces. The 4th Tank Regiment conducted maneuvers with heavy armored vehicles, integrating with the artillery for deep fire.

On the fire support front, the contribution of the 52nd Artillery Regiment “Torino” and the 8th Artillery Regiment “Pasubio” ensured coverage and the ability to neutralize distant targets, with methods compatible with a high-intensity scenario. The systems employed allowed immediate adaptation to tactical needs, offering precision and continuity.

The role of the Logistics Regiment “Garibaldi” was fundamental, tasked with ensuring the functionality of the system through supplies, vehicle recovery, and technical assistance. This support allowed for the continuous conduct of operations in the field, simulating the real logistical conditions of a prolonged operational environment.

The integration between infantry, engineers, tanks, artillery, and logistics created a flexible and cohesive system, capable of operating in increasingly changing and high-tech contexts.

An operational model for the future of land defense

The exercise “Cingoli ardenti” demonstrated how cooperation between different regiments is today one of the keys to military effectiveness. The joint training highlighted not only the technical capabilities of the individual regiments but also the collective ability to operate as an integrated system, ready to face complex scenarios quickly.

Although the organization of activities was entrusted to the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment, the distinctive element was the balanced enhancement of the specialized functions of all regiments. No single unit can effectively operate today without the support and coordination of others: tanks, engineers, artillery, and logistics are complementary pieces of a modern operational mosaic.

In an evolving geopolitical context, where conventional threats intertwine with asymmetric, hybrid, and technological threats, exercises like this are indispensable tools for preparing the Italian Armed Forces for the future. Rapid response capability, versatility on the ground, and interoperability among different components are now structural elements of modern defense.

“Cingoli ardenti” demonstrated that the Italian Army is capable not only of training but also of evolving, adapting its structures to new challenges. The synergy between the involved regiments, the realism of the scenario, and the experimental approach to emerging threats represent a replicable model, to be developed also in international and joint contexts.