8th Alpini Regiment

Coat of Arms of the 8th Alpini Regiment
Alpini from the 8th Alpini on patrol in Afghanistan with VTLM Lince

The 8th Alpini Regiment (Italian: 8° Reggimento Alpini) is a light Infantry regiment of the Italian Army, specializing in Mountain Combat. The Alpini are a mountain infantry corps of the Italian Army, that distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II.

World War I

During World War I the regiment consisted of 10 battalions and saw heavy fighting in the Alps against Austria’s Kaiserjäger and Germany’s Alpenkorps. The battalions of the regiment in these days were (pre-war raised units in bold, followed by their first and second line reserve battalions):

Current Structure

The regiment is part of the Alpine Brigade Julia and based in the city of Cividale del Friuli.

Equipment

The Alpini companies are equipped with Bv 206S tracked all-terrain carriers, Puma 6x6 wheeled armored personnel carriers and Lince light multirole vehicles. The mortar company is equipped with 120mm mortars, while the anti-tank company fields Spike anti-tank guided missile systems.

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