Multidomain Training: The Italian Army Prepares Among Mountains, Rivers, and Long-Range Fire

The evolution of the geopolitical landscape and the emergence of increasingly complex threats require the Armed Forces to be prepared to adapt to profoundly different scenarios. Today, the success of an operation depends on the ability to integrate specialist skills, technological innovation, and interoperability, operating effectively in extreme environments and exploiting the potential offered by new generation systems. For this reason, the Italian Army continues to decisively invest in training, developing training courses that test men and units in conditions as close as possible to operational reality.

The recent activities completed by the Alpine Troops and Artillery concretely demonstrate this philosophy. From the Alpine peaks to the watercourses, to the scenarios of the multidomain battlefield, each exercise contributes to building an increasingly modern, flexible military system ready to intervene both in defense operations and in supporting the population during emergencies.

The Mountain Warfare course of the Brigata Alpina “Taurinense”, the aquatic training of the 2nd Alpine Engineer Regiment of the “Julia” Brigade, and the Deep Fire 1/2026 exercise of the 5th Terrestrial Artillery Rocket Regiment “Superga” represent three different but complementary examples of the same strategy: preparing personnel to face any operational environment through increasingly realistic, specialized, and technologically advanced training.

From the mountains to the watercourses, the Alpini refine their operational capabilities in the most complex environments

The Brigata Alpina “Taurinense” recently concluded the summer session of the Mountain Warfare course, organized by the 3rd Alpini Regiment between the Pinerolese, the Upper Susa Valley, and the Aosta Valley. Four weeks of intense training allowed the soldiers to consolidate all those essential skills for living, moving, and fighting at high altitudes.

The course began with a rigorous selection that saw 80 candidates face physical efficiency tests, timed ascents with backpacks, and flotation tests. Only 61 soldiers passed the initial phase, accessing operational training.

During the exercises, the Alpini conducted reconnaissance patrols lasting up to 72 hours, daily facing elevation changes of about 1,500 meters with equipment weighing over 30 kilograms. The activities included progressions on rock walls, crossings of watercourses, canyons, patrols in limited visibility conditions, dynamic shooting, and tactical insertion and extraction procedures.

Particularly significant was also the use of remotely piloted aircraft systems, used for reconnaissance and observation of patrols during operations, confirming how even the tradition of the Alpine Troops is evolving through the integration of new technologies.

Preparation in the mountain environment finds a natural complement in the activities carried out by the 2nd Alpine Engineer Regiment of the “Julia” Brigade, which concluded a complex cycle of aquatic training developed between Lake Caldonazzo and the Adige River.

The Alpine engineers perfected the use of inflatable boats and rigid-hull boats, conducting exercises dedicated to tactical navigation, operational bridge setup, infiltration of specialist units, landings on unprepared shores, and self-rescue and recovery procedures.

The program was further enriched by collaboration with the Permanent Fire Brigade of Trento, with whom operational techniques and training activities were shared, as well as specialized courses in swift water rescue inspired by canyoning and rafting techniques. The skills acquired were subsequently employed during the traditional Vigiliane Festivals, ensuring the monitoring of hydrometric levels and contributing to the safety of river events.

Deep Fire 1/2026, technology, integration, and precision fire in the modern battlefield

If the Alpini represent the excellence of the Army in the most complex natural environments, the 5th Terrestrial Artillery Rocket Regiment “Superga” embodies the evolution of fire capabilities in the modern multidomain scenario.

The recent Deep Fire 1/2026 involved about 250 soldiers from twenty units of the Italian Army and the Air Force, engaged for two weeks in intense training activity developed simultaneously on the ground and in the simulated environment.

The rocket batteries operated in an opposed-party scenario, verifying operational readiness, resilience, and survival capability, under the coordination of the Joint Fire Support Element (JFSE) and with the support of the Multinational Division South Command and the Artillery Command.

One of the most innovative aspects of the exercise was the extensive use of unmanned systems and the latest command and control technologies. The integration between drones, sensors, advanced observers, and fire capabilities allowed for the refinement of targeting processes, increasing precision, decision-making speed, and coordination among the different operational components.

The Deep Fire 1/2026 also represented a true innovation laboratory, where new technological capabilities introduced into the Armed Forces were tested and integrated with existing operational procedures, confirming the strategic role of the 5th Regiment “Superga” in the development of Italian artillery.

Viewed as a whole, these three activities clearly outline the direction taken by the Italian Army. Mountains, aquatic environment, and long-range fire capabilities do not constitute separate realities but elements of a single training system aimed at building increasingly prepared, technologically advanced, and interoperable units. A preparation that strengthens the ability to operate effectively both in international missions and in support activities for the country, confirming how training, specialization, and innovation today represent the fundamental pillars of the national military instrument.