MarketMechanized Brigade "Aosta"
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Mechanized Brigade "Aosta"

The Mechanized Brigade "Aosta" is a mechanized infantry brigade of the Italian Army based on the island of Sicily. The Brigade is one of the oldest of the Italian Army and the name connects the brigade to its original area of recruitment the Aosta Valley and therefore the brigade's coat of arms is modeled after the coat of arms of Aosta. The brigade is part of the Division "Acqui".

History
1831 to 1914 After Charles Albert of Sardinia ascended to the throne of the Kingdom of Sardinia on 27 April 1831 a major reform of the kingdom's military was started. Thus on 25 October 1831 the Brigade "Aosta" was raised with two infantry regiments. These two regiments were the "His Royal Highness; Fusilier Regiment" () founded on 20 February 1690 and a newly raised infantry regiment. Earlier from 1 November 1815 to 25 October 1831 the "HRH Fusilier Regiment" was already known as "Brigade of Aosta" (), however in size and function this unit was an infantry regiment with two battalions. Between 1774 and 1799 the "HRH Fusilier Regiment" was known as the "Regiment of Aosta" (). After the founding of the Brigade "Aosta" its two regiments consisted of three battalions each: the regiment's 1st and 2nd battalions fielded three companies of fusiliers and one company of grenadiers, while the third battalions consisted of four companies of skirmishers. Later a fourth battalion was added to each regiment and the companies' strength was increased. By 1839 each regiment fielded four battalions, which in turn fielded 4 companies of 250 men each. In 1839 the regiments of the "Aosta" were numbered and renamed as 5th Infantry Regiment Brigade "Aosta" and 6th Infantry Regiment Brigade "Aosta". • 5th Infantry Regiment "Aosta", in Messina • Command and Services Company, in Messina • I Infantry Battalion, in Messina • II Infantry Battalion, in Catania • III Infantry Battalion, in Palermo • Regimental Anti-tank Company, in Messina (anti-tank guided missiles and M47 tanks) • LXII Armored Battalion "Aosta", in Catania (M47 Patton tanks and M113 armored personnel carriers) • Field Artillery Group "Aosta", in Messina (M14/61 105 mm towed howitzers) • Light Aviation Unit "Aosta", at Catania-Fontanarossa Air Base (L-21B Super Cub) • Engineer Company "Aosta", in Siracusa • Signal Company "Aosta", in Messina • Supply, Repairs, Recovery Unit "Aosta", in Messina • Transport Unit "Aosta", in Messina • Command and Signal Unit "Aosta", in Messina • 5th Motorized Infantry Battalion "Col della Berretta", in Messina (former I Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment) • 62nd Motorized Infantry Battalion "Sicilia", in Catania (former II Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment) • 141st Motorized Infantry Battalion "Catanzaro", in Palermo (former III Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment) • 62nd Armored Battalion "M.O. Jero", in Catania (Leopard 1A2 main battle tanks and VCC-2 armored personnel carriers) • 24th Field Artillery Group "Peloritani", in Messina (M114 155 mm towed howitzers) • Logistic Battalion "Aosta", in Messina • Sicily Military Region, in Palermo • R.M.SI. Command Unit, in Palermo • 60th Infantry (Recruits Training) Battalion "Col di Lana", in Trapani (former I Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment) • 46th Signal Battalion "Mongibello", in Palermo • 30th Light Airplanes and Helicopters Squadrons Group "Pegaso", at Catania-Fontanarossa Air Base • 11th Medical Company, in Palermo • 11th Provisions Supply Company, in Palermo • 11th Army Repairs Workshop Type B, in Palermo • Military Hospital Type B, in Palermo • Military Hospital Type B, in Messina • Garrison Detachment, on Pantelleria island == Recent history ==
Recent history
With the end of the Cold War the Italian Army began to disbanded a large number of its mechanized brigades in Northern Italy and redistributed their materiel: the Aosta received VCC-2 armored personnel carriers for its infantry battalions and M109 self-propelled howitzers for the 24th "Peloritani". Accordingly, the brigade changed its name on 18 August 1992 to Mechanized Brigade "Aosta". In the same year the brigade began its six-year involvement in the Operation "Sicilian Vespers" a security and policing operation in Sicily undertaken by the Italian Armed Forces between 25 January 1992 and 8 July 1998. After the end of the Cold War the brigade continuously changed composition as the Italian Army was drawing down its forces and moving a large number of units from the North to the South of the country, as most volunteers came from the economically less developed Southern regions. • 21 April 1991 the 141st Motorized Infantry Battalion "Catanzaro" disbanded its companies and transferred its name, flag and traditions to the "Minor Islands" Battalion on Pantelleria (the "Catanzaro" was disbanded on 27 May 1995) • 7 May 1991 the 6th Tank Squadrons Group "Lancieri di Aosta" of the Armored Brigade "Vittorio Veneto" left Cervignano del Friuli and moved to Palermo to join the Aosta • 31 March 1992 the 23rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Castel di Borgo" of the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" left Tauriano and moved to Trapani to join the "Aosta" • 27 August 1992 the 62nd Armored Battalion "M.O. Jero" merged with the 62nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion "Sicilia" to form the 62nd Armored Infantry Regiment "Sicilia" • 31 August 1992 the 5th Mechanized Infantry Battalion "Col della Berretta" changed its name to 5th Infantry Regiment "Aosta" • 2 September 1992 the 23rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Castel di Borgo" changed its name to 12th Bersaglieri Regiment • 19 September 1992 the 51st Pioneer Battalion "Simeto" in Palermo reformed as the 4th Engineer Regiment and joined the Aosta • 16 October 1992 the 24th Field Artillery Group "Peloritani" changed its name to 24th Self-propelled Field Artillery Regiment "Peloritani" • 3 March 1993 the 6th Tank Squadrons Group "Lancieri di Aosta" changed its name to Regiment "Lancieri di Aosta" (6th) • 1 January 1996 the 62nd Armored Infantry Regiment "Sicilia" reformed as the 62nd Tank Regiment "Sicilia" • during 2001 the 62nd Tank Regiment "Sicilia" reformed to a mechanized infantry regiment • 15 April 2005 the 12th Bersaglieri Regiment changed its name to 6th Bersaglieri Regiment == Organization ==
Organization
During the late 1990s the "Lancieri di Aosta" exchanged its Leopard 1A2 main battle tanks for Centauro wheeled tank destroyers. In 2013 the brigade gained the Logistic Regiment "Aosta" in Messina. As of 4 October 2022 the brigade is organized as follows: • Mechanized Brigade "Aosta", in Messina6th Command and Tactical Supports Unit "Aosta", in Messina • Regiment "Lancieri di Aosta" (6th), in Palermo5th Infantry Regiment "Aosta", in Messina • 6th Bersaglieri Regiment, in Trapani62nd Infantry Regiment "Sicilia", in Catania24th Field Artillery Regiment "Peloritani", in Messina • 4th Engineer Regiment, in Palermo • Logistic Regiment "Aosta", in Palermo All regiments are battalion sized. == Equipment ==
Equipment
The infantry regiments and the Bersaglieri regiment of the brigade are equipped with Freccia wheeled infantry fighting vehicles. The "Lancieri di Aosta" regiment is equipped with Centauro and Centauro 2 wheeled tank destroyers and VTLM Lince vehicles. The brigade's artillery regiment fields 18x FH-70 towed howitzers. == Gorget patches ==
Gorget patches
The personnel of the brigade's units wears the following gorget patches:ref name="Aosta"/> File:Mostrina - Trasmissioni.png| File:Mostrina - "Lancieri di Aosta" (6°).png| File:Mostrina - Bersaglieri.png| File:Mostrina - 5°, 6° "Aosta".png| File:Mostrina - 61°, 62° "Sicilia".png| File:Mostrina - Artiglieria.png| File:Mostrina - Genio Guastatori.png| File:Mostrina - TRAMAT.png| == References ==
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