The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 2019 to 2025 Europe
Military - note Italy, in 6 editions.
The entry for Italy published Military - note in 6 editions of 36, from 2019 to 2025. The text changed in 5 editions. Each is shown as published. Military - note in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 5
- the first edition with it
- 2019
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Military - note” (2019 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Changed since 2024Italy has established a Joint Special Operations Command and a Joint Headquarters Cyber Operations (Comando Interforze per le Operazioni Cibernetiche (CIOC) (2019)
Italy has established a Joint Special Operations Command and a Joint Headquarters Cyber Operations (Comando Interforze per le Operazioni Cibernetiche (CIOC) (2019)
The entry for Italy did not include Military - note.
Italy is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949
- Italy is an active participant in EU, NATO, UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations abroad;
- as of 2021, it hosted the headquarters for the EU’s Mediterranean naval operations force (EUNAVFOR-MED) in Rome and the US Navy’s 6 th Fleet in Naples;
- Italy was admitted to the UN in 1955 and in 1960 participated in its first UN peacekeeping mission, the UN Operation in Congo (ONUC);
- since 1960, it has committed more than 60,000 troops to UN missions, and as of 2021, was the top supplier of military and police forces among Western and EU nations to UN peacekeeping operations;
- since 2006, Italy has hosted a training center in Vicenza for police personnel destined for peacekeeping missions
Rewritten: too little of the 2019 text remains to mark the changes.
Italy is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949
Italy is an active participant in EU, NATO, UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations abroad; as of 2021, it hosted the headquarters for the EU’s Mediterranean naval operations force (EUNAVFOR-MED) in Rome and the US Navy’s 6 th Fleet in Naples; Italy was admitted to the UN in 1955 and in 1960 participated in its first UN peacekeeping mission, the UN Operation in Congo (ONUC); since 1960, it has committed more than 60,000 troops to UN missions, and as of 2021, was the top supplier of military and police forces among Western and EU nations to UN peacekeeping operations; since 2006, Italy has hosted a training center in Vicenza for police personnel destined for peacekeeping missions
Italy is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949
- Italy is an active participant in EU, NATO, UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations abroad;
- as of 2022, it hosted the headquarters for the EU’s Mediterranean naval operations force (EUNAVFOR-MED) in Rome and the US Navy’s 6 th Fleet in Naples;
- Italy was admitted to the UN in 1955 and in 1960 participated in its first UN peacekeeping mission, the UN Operation in Congo (ONUC);
- since 1960, it has committed more than 60,000 troops to UN missions;
- since 2006, Italy has hosted a training center in Vicenza for police personnel destined for peacekeeping missions
Italy is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949
Italy is an active participant in EU, NATO, UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations abroad; as of 2021, 2022, it hosted the headquarters for the EU’s Mediterranean naval operations force (EUNAVFOR-MED) in Rome and the US Navy’s 6 th Fleet in Naples; Italy was admitted to the UN in 1955 and in 1960 participated in its first UN peacekeeping mission, the UN Operation in Congo (ONUC); since 1960, it has committed more than 60,000 troops to UN missions, and as of 2021, was the top supplier of military and police forces among Western and EU nations to UN peacekeeping operations; missions; since 2006, Italy has hosted a training center in Vicenza for police personnel destined for peacekeeping missions
- the Italian military is an all-volunteer and professional force responsible for Italy’s national defense and security and fulfilling the country’s commitments to the EU, NATO, and the UN;
- it also has some domestic security duties;
- for example, the Army has provided troops for guarding public buildings and for more than a decade several thousand Army and Carabinieri personnel have been deployed domestically to support the National Police as part of a government effort to curb crime in various Italian cities
- Italy has been an active member of NATO since its founding in 1948, and the Alliance is a cornerstone of Rome’s national security strategy;
- it is a strong supporter of European/EU defense cooperation and integration;
- Italy is an active participant in EU, NATO, UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations;
- key areas of emphasis for Italy’s security policy and multinational cooperation are NATO/Europe’s eastern and southern flanks, including the Mediterranean Sea, East and North Africa, and the Middle East and its adjacent waters;
- Italy is one of NATO’s leading contributors of military forces and participates in such missions as NATO’s Air Policing in the Baltics, the Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, and maritime patrols in the Mediterranean and beyond;
- it hosts NATO’s Joint Force Command in Naples and a NATO Rapid Deployable Corps headquarters in Milan, as well as the headquarters for the EU’s Mediterranean naval operations force in Rome;
- since 1960, Italy has committed more than 60,000 troops to UN missions, and it hosts a training center in Vicenza for police personnel destined for peacekeeping missions;
- in addition, Italy has close defense ties with the US and hosts several US military air, army, and naval bases and facilities
the Italian Army has participated in many colonial engagements, conflicts, major wars, and peacekeeping missions since its establishment in the 1850s and 1860s during Italian unification, from African colonization in the late 1800s to both World Wars and more recently, Afghanistan and Iraq; the current Italian Army is equipped largely with domestically manufactured weapons systems and organized into functional areas (operational, logistic, infrastructural, training, and territorial); the combat forces are under the operational commands, which include the Alpine Command (one divisional headquarters and two alpine/mountain brigades), the Southern Operational Forces Command (five mechanized brigades), the Northern Operational Forces Command (armored, cavalry, and airborne brigades), the Operational Land Forces Support Command (commands for artillery, air defense, engineers, etc), and the Operational Land Forces Command and Army Operational Command (two divisional headquarters, an aviation command with an air mobile brigade, and a special forces command)
- the Navy was officially established in 1860;
- as country with seas on three sides, naval power has long been a key component of Italy’s national security;
- today, it maintains one of the largest navies in NATO with several functional and regionally based commands and operates globally;
- in addition to maritime defense, the Navy’s missions include countering illegal trafficking, protecting the marine environment, and assisting with humanitarian and disaster assistance, as well as contributing to civil projects, such as scientific research;
- its principal warships include two aircraft carriers, four destroyers, 13 frigates, and eight attack submarines, as well as several large amphibious assault ships and a large inventory of patrol vessels;
- it also has a marine amphibious force, a special operations force, and operates a diverse array of naval fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and unmanned aircraft, including naval fighters and anti-submarine warfare helicopters;
- the Air Force was established in 1923, but the first air unit was established in 1884;
- today, it has nearly 500 total aircraft, including around 200 fighters and multirole fighter aircraft;
- to coordinate the different services, the military has several joint commands, including for operations, space, and special operations (2023)
Rewritten: too little of the 2022 text remains to mark the changes.
the Italian military is an all-volunteer and professional force responsible for Italy’s national defense and security and fulfilling the country’s commitments to the EU, NATO, and the UN; it also has some domestic security duties; for example, the Army has provided troops for guarding public buildings and for more than a decade several thousand Army and Carabinieri personnel have been deployed domestically to support the National Police as part of a government effort to curb crime in various Italian cities
Italy has been an active member of NATO since its founding in 1948, and the Alliance is a cornerstone of Rome’s national security strategy; it is a strong supporter of European/EU defense cooperation and integration; Italy is an active participant in EU, NATO, UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations; key areas of emphasis for Italy’s security policy and multinational cooperation are NATO/Europe’s eastern and southern flanks, including the Mediterranean Sea, East and North Africa, and the Middle East and its adjacent waters; Italy is one of NATO’s leading contributors of military forces and participates in such missions as NATO’s Air Policing in the Baltics, the Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, and maritime patrols in the Mediterranean and beyond; it hosts NATO’s Joint Force Command in Naples and a NATO Rapid Deployable Corps headquarters in Milan, as well as the headquarters for the EU’s Mediterranean naval operations force in Rome; since 1960, Italy has committed more than 60,000 troops to UN missions, and it hosts a training center in Vicenza for police personnel destined for peacekeeping missions; in addition, Italy has close defense ties with the US and hosts several US military air, army, and naval bases and facilities
the Italian Army has participated in many colonial engagements, conflicts, major wars, and peacekeeping missions since its establishment in the 1850s and 1860s during Italian unification, from African colonization in the late 1800s to both World Wars and more recently, Afghanistan and Iraq; the current Italian Army is equipped largely with domestically manufactured weapons systems and organized into functional areas (operational, logistic, infrastructural, training, and territorial); the combat forces are under the operational commands, which include the Alpine Command (one divisional headquarters and two alpine/mountain brigades), the Southern Operational Forces Command (five mechanized brigades), the Northern Operational Forces Command (armored, cavalry, and airborne brigades), the Operational Land Forces Support Command (commands for artillery, air defense, engineers, etc), and the Operational Land Forces Command and Army Operational Command (two divisional headquarters, an aviation command with an air mobile brigade, and a special forces command)
the Navy was officially established in 1860; as country with seas on three sides, naval power has long been a key component of Italy’s national security; today, it maintains one of the largest navies in NATO with several functional and regionally based commands and operates globally; in addition to maritime defense, the Navy’s missions include countering illegal trafficking, protecting the marine environment, and assisting with humanitarian and disaster assistance, as well as contributing to civil projects, such as scientific research; its principal warships include two aircraft carriers, four destroyers, 13 frigates, and eight attack submarines, as well as several large amphibious assault ships and a large inventory of patrol vessels; it also has a marine amphibious force, a special operations force, and operates a diverse array of naval fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and unmanned aircraft, including naval fighters and anti-submarine warfare helicopters; the Air Force was established in 1923, but the first air unit was established in 1884; today, it has nearly 500 total aircraft, including around 200 fighters and multirole fighter aircraft; to coordinate the different services, the military has several joint commands, including for operations, space, and special operations (2023)
- the Italian military is responsible for Italy’s national defense and security and fulfilling the country’s commitments to the EU, NATO, and the UN;
- it also has some domestic security duties;
- for example, the Army has provided troops for guarding public buildings and for more than a decade several thousand Army and Carabinieri personnel have been deployed domestically to support the National Police as part of a government effort to curb crime in various Italian cities
- Italy has been an active member of NATO since its founding in 1948, and the Alliance is a cornerstone of Rome’s national security strategy;
- it is a strong supporter of European/EU defense cooperation and integration;
- Italy is a frequent participant in EU, NATO, UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations;
- key areas of emphasis for Italy’s security policy and multinational cooperation are NATO/Europe’s eastern and southern flanks, including the Mediterranean Sea, East and North Africa, and the Middle East and its adjacent waters
- Italy is one of NATO’s leading contributors of military forces and participates in such missions as NATO’s Air Policing in the Baltics, the Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, and maritime patrols in the Mediterranean and beyond;
- it hosts NATO’s Joint Force Command in Naples and a NATO Rapid Deployable Corps headquarters in Milan, as well as the headquarters for the EU’s Mediterranean naval operations force in Rome;
- in addition, Italy has close defense ties with the US and hosts several US military air, army, and naval bases and facilities (2024)
the Italian military is an all-volunteer and professional force responsible for Italy’s national defense and security and fulfilling the country’s commitments to the EU, NATO, and the UN; it also has some domestic security duties; for example, the Army has provided troops for guarding public buildings and for more than a decade several thousand Army and Carabinieri personnel have been deployed domestically to support the National Police as part of a government effort to curb crime in various Italian cities
Italy has been an active member of NATO since its founding in 1948, and the Alliance is a cornerstone of Rome’s national security strategy; it is a strong supporter of European/EU defense cooperation and integration; Italy is an active a frequent participant in EU, NATO, UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations; key areas of emphasis for Italy’s security policy and multinational cooperation are NATO/Europe’s eastern and southern flanks, including the Mediterranean Sea, East and North Africa, and the Middle East and its adjacent waters; waters
Italy is one of NATO’s leading contributors of military forces and participates in such missions as NATO’s Air Policing in the Baltics, the Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, and maritime patrols in the Mediterranean and beyond; it hosts NATO’s Joint Force Command in Naples and a NATO Rapid Deployable Corps headquarters in Milan, as well as the headquarters for the EU’s Mediterranean naval operations force in Rome; since 1960, Italy has committed more than 60,000 troops to UN missions, and it hosts a training center in Vicenza for police personnel destined for peacekeeping missions; in addition, Italy has close defense ties with the US and hosts several US military air, army, and naval bases and facilities (2024)
the Italian Army has participated in many colonial engagements, conflicts, major wars, and peacekeeping missions since its establishment in the 1850s and 1860s during Italian unification, from African colonization in the late 1800s to both World Wars and more recently, Afghanistan and Iraq; the current Italian Army is equipped largely with domestically manufactured weapons systems and organized into functional areas (operational, logistic, infrastructural, training, and territorial); the combat forces are under the operational commands, which include the Alpine Command (one divisional headquarters and two alpine/mountain brigades), the Southern Operational Forces Command (five mechanized brigades), the Northern Operational Forces Command (armored, cavalry, and airborne brigades), the Operational Land Forces Support Command (commands for artillery, air defense, engineers, etc), and the Operational Land Forces Command and Army Operational Command (two divisional headquarters, an aviation command with an air mobile brigade, and a special forces command)
the Navy was officially established in 1860; as country with seas on three sides, naval power has long been a key component of Italy’s national security; today, it maintains one of the largest navies in NATO with several functional and regionally based commands and operates globally; in addition to maritime defense, the Navy’s missions include countering illegal trafficking, protecting the marine environment, and assisting with humanitarian and disaster assistance, as well as contributing to civil projects, such as scientific research; its principal warships include two aircraft carriers, four destroyers, 13 frigates, and eight attack submarines, as well as several large amphibious assault ships and a large inventory of patrol vessels; it also has a marine amphibious force, a special operations force, and operates a diverse array of naval fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and unmanned aircraft, including naval fighters and anti-submarine warfare helicopters; the Air Force was established in 1923, but the first air unit was established in 1884; today, it has nearly 500 total aircraft, including around 200 fighters and multirole fighter aircraft; to coordinate the different services, the military has several joint commands, including for operations, space, and special operations (2023)
- the Italian military is responsible for Italy’s national defense and security and fulfilling the country’s commitments to the EU, NATO, the UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations;
- it also has some domestic security duties;
- key areas of emphasis for Italy’s security policy and multinational cooperation are Europe’s eastern and southern flanks, including the Mediterranean Sea, East and North Africa, and the Middle East and its adjacent waters
- Italy has been an active member of NATO since its founding in 1948, and the Alliance is a cornerstone of Rome’s national security strategy;
- it is one of NATO’s leading contributors of military forces and participates in such Alliance missions as Air Policing in the Baltics, the Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, and maritime patrols in the Mediterranean and beyond;
- it hosts NATO’s Joint Force Command in Naples and a NATO Rapid Deployable Corps headquarters in Milan
- Italy is also active in European/EU defense cooperation and integration, including hosting the headquarters for the EU’s Mediterranean naval operations force in Rome;
- in addition, Italy has close defense ties with the US and hosts several US military air, army, and naval bases and facilities (2025)
the Italian military is responsible for Italy’s national defense and security and fulfilling the country’s commitments to the EU, NATO, and the UN; it also has some domestic security duties; for example, the Army has provided troops for guarding public buildings and for more than a decade several thousand Army and Carabinieri personnel have been deployed domestically to support the National Police as part of a government effort to curb crime in various Italian cities UN, and other multinational military, security, and humanitarian operations; it also has some domestic security duties; key areas of emphasis for Italy’s security policy and multinational cooperation are
Italy has been an active member of NATO since its founding in 1948, and the Alliance is a cornerstone of Rome’s national security strategy; it is a strong supporter of European/EU defense cooperation and integration; Italy is a frequent participant in EU, NATO,NATO/Europe’s Europe’s eastern and southern flanks, including the Mediterranean Sea, East and North Africa, and the Middle East and its adjacent waters
Italy has been an active member of NATO since its founding in 1948, and the Alliance is a cornerstone of Rome’s national security strategy; it is one of NATO’s leading contributors of military forces and participates in such Alliance missions as NATO’s Air Policing in the Baltics, the Enhanced Forward Presence in Eastern Europe, and maritime patrols in the Mediterranean and beyond; it hosts NATO’s Joint Force Command in Naples and a NATO Rapid Deployable Corps headquarters in Milan, as well as Milan
Italy is also active in European/EU defense cooperation and integration, including hosting the headquarters for the EU’s Mediterranean naval operations force in Rome; in addition, Italy has close defense ties with the US and hosts several US military air, army, and naval bases and facilities (2024) (2025)
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Central Intelligence Agency. “Italy: Military - note.” The World Factbook, 2019–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/italy/military-note.