The 185th RRAO Folgore Acquisitors in the Arizona desert at EMERALD WARRIOR 2025

Venerdì 14 febbraio 2025 si è conclusa in Arizona, negli USA, l’esercitazione Emerald Warrior 2025which saw the participation of an Operational Detachment of the 185th Parachute Reconnaissance and Target Acquisition Regiment Folgoretogether with the staff of the 17th Air Force Wing.

L’esercitazione del Air Force Special Operations Command

L’evento, organizzato dall’AFSOC (Air Force Special Operations Command), ha avuto l’obiettivo di integrare le Forze Speciali con gli assetti aerei. In particolare, gli operatori del RRAO conducted trainings on:

• Free Fall Technique (TCL) for aviation;
• Fire activity with A-10 aircraft of the US Air Force;
• Guida terminale del fuoco (TGO – Terminal Guidance Operations) with the support of JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) Italians;
• Treatment and evacuation of combat casualtiesthanks to the collaboration between the SOCM (Special Operations Combat Medic) and a US set-up SOST (Special Operations Surgical Team). Quest’ultimo ha gestito l’evacuazione dei feriti a bordo di un C-130J of 46th Pisa Airborne Brigade.

L’addestramento si è svolto nel tipico scenario desertico dell’Arizona, un ambiente difficilmente replicabile in Europa, offrendo un’opportunità formativa di altissimo livello. Sono state inoltre condotte sessioni di tiro con le armi portatili in dotazione al 185° RAO.

The exercise was also attended by special units from United States, France and Romania, con l’obiettivo di rafforzare la cooperazione tra le Forze Speciali della NATO, rendendole più efficaci nell’affrontare le future sfide operative in contesti internazionali complessi.

The 185th Parachute Regiment Goal Acquisition Reconnaissance Folgore

The 185th Parachute Reconnaissance and Target Acquisition Regiment Folgore (abbreviated to 185th RRAO) is a unit of the Italian Army, since 2018 included in the special forces, composed of specifically selected and trained personnel, trained and equipped to conduct the full spectrum of tasks typical of the Special Operationsand specialised in the conduct of Special reconnaissance e Terminal fire driving operations.

The 185th RRAO Regiment has a distinctly intelligence-oriented vocation and specialises in direct actions involving the engagement of targets at a distance (i.e. with stand-off) utilising the armament provided and all land, air and naval fire platforms. The RRAO normally operates by infiltrating operational detachments equipped and trained to operate beyond enemy lines, at a great distance from friendly forces and in complete tactical isolation.

The operational component of the regiment is made up of officers, non-commissioned officers, graduates and volunteers on permanent duty or in pre-secured service, trained and selected through a training process lasting approximately two years, culminating in the award of the Acquirer Targetswith operational dependence on the Inter-Agency Special Forces Operations Commandand is stationed in Livorno.

Source: https://www.difesa.it/smd/news-italia/esercitazione-emerald-warrior/65069.html