The 72nd edition of the CaSTA Championships ended yesterday, the annual training event in the mountain environment of the Alpine Army troops which saw the use of all the Alpine regiments of the brigades Julia e Taurinense, the Alpine Training Center, the specialized departments of the Italian Army, including the 4th regiment Altair and the 1 ° Antares of the Army Aviation, nuclei of the tactical information brigade, the 17th anti-aircraft artillery Sforzesca, the 6th Squadron of the Air Force and the French and US units or the 27th French Mountain Infantry Brigade and the 173rd Airborne Brigade of the US Army.
This year's winning department was the from the 3rd Brigade's Alpine Regiment Taurinense.
The training operation, called “Volpe Binca”, took place in the Milky Way area between Sestriere and Usseaux in the Cottian Alps and involved more than a thousand men and women who were able to test the level of preparation in a mountain context.
The exercise consists in organizing, planning and conducting operations in a mountain environment and has as its final objective that of exercising Alpine troops in a "Mountain Warfare" context and verifying the level reached in the technical-tactical and survival in cold climates. as well as in search and rescue in collaboration with entities outside the military administration.
The program included four distinct phases with relative exercises.
"Steel Blizzard" tactical activities, saw the military engage, with the aid of BV206-S7 and 206-D tracked vehicles, in mountain combat scenarios with the cooperation of various Army Weapons, simulating an inter-force and international context with the insertion of the aforementioned French and American teams.
"Ice Patrol" typical continuous mountain patrol over three days in which all the Alpine regiments took part to measure up and challenge each other in the various tests of which it is composed (topography, tactical navigation, shooting).
"Ice Challenge" characterized by individual movement in a snowy environment and carried out in the form of biathlon.
"Winter Rescue", developed by the 9th Alpine Regiment (based in L'Aquila) is aimed at search and rescue and carried out with the participation of National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps (CNSAS).
The exercise also saw the protagonists Special Aid Operational Unit of the ACISMOM Military Corps which provided air support with the use of drones as it also happens throughout the year.
During the various days of the exercise there was no lack of the presence of the Chief of Staff of the Army, general of the army corps Pietro Serino and, of course, of the commander of the alpine troops of the Army, general of the army corps Ignazio Gamba who, in his opening speech, recalled that "The ability to live, move and fight in harsh climates and in environments where the vertical development of the movement hardens and guarantees the awareness of knowing how to operate in all non-permissive environments".
The event saw other interesting moments such as the performance in Pragelato and in Sestriere of the Fanfare of the Alpine brigade Taurinense on 9 March and an impressive tricolor torchlight procession on the G.Agnelli slope with 60 alpine skiers.
This year's edition of Ca.Sta is also part of one of a series of cultural, training and sporting events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the foundation of the Alpine Corps which will end on October 15th in Naples.
