The explorers of the "Aosta" brigade in the multi-weapon and multifunction activity "Sicily Reconnaissance"

(To Army Majority State)
28/04/21

In recent days, the itinerant training activity called "Sicily Reconnaissance" was completed, involving company-level units of the 5th "Aosta" infantry regiment, made up of scouting platoons and reinforced with combat and support assets from other units , who for three weeks conducted exercises in the main Sicilian training areas.

In the exercise scenario of an operation to combat the insurgency, the units conducted the tactical reconnaissance of the main communication lines in Sicily, identifying the coordination and control points and taking a census of the most critical and dangerous areas.

They participated in the assets exercise of the 4th Engineers Regiment, the 6th Bersaglieri Regiment, the 24th Artillery Regiment “Peloritani”, with the operational support of the AB412 aircraft of the 2nd AVES “Sirio” Regiment.

The activity, organized and conducted within the training objectives set by the "Acqui" division command, had the purpose of increasing the capabilities of the units and promoting their growth through experiential exchange and comparison on aspects such as employment, reconnaissance activities under different conditions, training methodologies and equipment.

The exercise saw the projection of forces from the eastern side of Sicily to the western one, from Messina to the areas of Bocca di Falco (PA) and Milo (TP), continuing inland to Piazza Armerina (EN) and Drasy (AG), with a maneuver that developed along 1.279 km and which saw the units operate in exercise contexts characterized by the presence of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other forms of hybrid threat.

The "Sicily Reconnaissance" finally made it possible to test the command and control capabilities between the itinerant tactical command post, the main command post set up in the "Crisafulli Zuccarello" barracks in Messina and the alternate one located in the "Pepe-Bettoia" barracks in Catanzaro, CME Calabria headquarters where the command of the “Calabria” grouping of the “Strade Sicure” operation is currently deployed. The whole exercise was carried out in full compliance with the measures to prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19.