Italian special forces

The Italian Special Forces include special forces units from several branches of the Italian Armed Forces: the Esercito Italiano or Army, the Marina Militare or Navy, the Aeronautica Militare or Air force and the Arma dei Carabinieri (Carabineers).

Italian Armed Forces special units are divided into Special Forces (TIER 1) and Special Operations Forces (TIER 2).

The Italian Navy special forces unit is the COMSUBIN (Comando Subacquei ed Incursori "Teseo Tesei") - the Raiders & Divers Group. Specifically the 150-200 men of the Operational Raiders Group are the special forces section of the elite unit.

COMSUBIN's origins lie with the famous Italian special units "X MAS" (Italian acronym for Anti Submarine Motorboats). The name referred to an early vehicle employed by the units, an explosive-laden crewless motorboat ("barchino") which was aimed and launched against enemy submersibles (keep in mind that until well after World War II subs were essentially surface ships with the capability of temporarily diving underwater for attacks). After World War I much study and development went into underwater raid techniques but the unit's name was never altered, leading to the false impression that Italian seafaring commandoes were still relegated to anti-submarine warfare only. Instead many flotillas were armed and equipped to direct raids on enemy ships using explosive head-charges in guided torpedoes with 2-man crews (Siluri a Lenta Corsa or S.L.C.), with hand explosive charges (by frogmen) or with small, fast, self-explosive boats (S.M.A.).

COMBUSIN GOI personnel are largely drawn from the ranks of the Navy's San Marco Marine Brigade.

Sometimes called upon to intervene for special operations the Special Company of the 1° San Marco Marine Regiment.

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Wikipedia