Italy: Post WWll - Present

[MelaraClubPrez]

This is a thread for Italian deployments and conflicts covering (see topic title) the period after WWII to the present.

Everything from tactical nukes to Check Point Pasta can be found here.

I think this'll be a good place for the CIA reading room link.

 

[jwsleser]

Excellent!

 

[MelaraClubPrez]

Link to the CIA reading room:
https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/search/site/Breda

In the late forties Italian WWII equipment( mostly Breda) shows up in Albania & Yugoslavia. Some CV.3s are re-equipped with Russian Machine guns.

 

[MelaraClubPrez]

More from Breda and Egypt:

 

[MelaraClubPrez]

Italy in Lebanon. Pic is from someone's imgur public account. "Peacemaker", I believe is his/her name.

There's some youtube video and other pictures from Italy's extensive service in Lebanon. I've even come across some old videos from the 80s
I'll post them within this post as I come across them depending on how long it takes to find them again.

Italy arriving in Lebanon. Video is from 2015:

Same place in 1983:

 

[MelaraClubPrez]

Albanian Navy using Breda double-barrel machine gun, dated June 24, 1949

 

[MelaraClubPrez]

Youtube video about checkpoint Pasta:

Blog covering the same operation:
http://nicolatogni.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
Some more pics:
http://www.raffaeleciriello.com/site/pw/39pasta.html

 

[MelaraClubPrez]

Another youtube video:
Lebanon dated 17th Mar. 1983

There's some small arms and vehicles featured in the video.

 

[MelaraClubPrez]

Report about the Melera Club from CIA reading room:

https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP83B00851R000200030002-0.pdf

Dated 1983

 

[MelaraClubPrez]

Interesting article about the Chinese 76mm and OTO Melara's version:

Air Defense: Chinese 76mm Breakthrough

The Chinese marines have been seen testing a new version of the decades old 76mm dual-purpose auto-loading, radar guided naval gun The marine version was mounted on a 10x10 wheeled armored vehicle In 2016 a Chinese firm had offered a version mounted on

www.strategypage.com

"The Chinese paid more attention to OTO Melara developments because this Italian original was steadily updated so that by the 1990s it was effective against anti-ship missiles. What made this possible was the AHEAD shell which could be programmed by the fire control system while in the gun to detonate at a specific distance from the gun and produce a cone of tungsten (heavy metal) projectiles that acted like a shotgun shell that did serious damage to missiles or aircraft. AHEAD shells came in various calibers (30mm-76mm) and the Chinese/Russian version could reliably destroy and incoming missile (like the Harpoon) with under 25 rounds fired at 120 RPM (two per second). The PJ26 can fire single rounds at surface targets as quickly or slowly as desired. Smaller caliber versions (30-40mm) used as anti-aircraft or IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) weapons could disable a tank with AHEAD ammo by shredding all external sensors and fire control system components. The tank crew would survive but they would be unable to use their main gun because the fire control system was destroyed. Against aircraft, the effects are worse because of such shredding damages jets and helicopters to the point where they can no longer fly."

The article seems a bit off. Since it's not sourced, I have to wonder how accurate it is.

 

[MelaraClubPrez]

More from same article:

"It is unclear exactly what the Chinese marines intend their 10x10 vehicle version to do. Only pictures of this vehicle (painted in distinctive Chinese marines camouflage colors) have been seen. But the capabilities of the PJ26 are well known and this weapon can fire HE (high explosive) rounds and be useful for supporting a marine beach landing or ground operations in general. The 10x110 76mm weapon is not really a front line system since the fire control radar behind the turret can easily be damaged. The truck-mounted version uses a radar on a separate vehicle but is not as well armored or mobile as the 10x10 marines version."

I believe that's this vehicle:

The bottom photo is obviously the Italian made Draco

 

[MelaraClubPrez]

Leonardo is pushing its new upgraded M60 and M109I:

The UAE is evaluating the prototype and could potentially be the first customer.

The M109I upgrade appears to be the FH-70 howitzer with the latest Volcano Ammo.

More from the article here:

Web Translator

and:

Nuova vita per i carri M-60A3 e i semoventi M-109L – Analisi Difesa

www.analisidifesa.it

 

[MelaraClubPrez]

Also, Alpini!

 

[MelaraClubPrez]

I ran into a tid-bit about the Italians during Desert Storm.
From Desert Storm Air War: The Aerial Campaign Against Saddam's Iraq In The 1991 Gulf War by Jim Corrigan
Page 91
"Italy's contribution to the air war was small, just eight Tornados stationed at Abu Dhabi."
"Bad weather was making aerial refueling difficult for everyone, and to the newcomers it seemed nearly impossible. All but one tornado gave up and returned to Abu Dhabi still toting their weapons. The remaining aircrew, Maj. Gianmarco Bellini and Capt. Maurizio Cocciolone, felt honor-bound to proceed alone. They were shot down shortly after dropping their bombs and taken prisoner."

Youtube video from the Gulf War:

 

[MelaraClubPrez]

Cold War and Modern aircraft:
Modern military Aircraft: The World's Greatest Weapons by T. Newdick & T. Cooper

Fiat G.91 R/3 (West Germany)
Fiat G.91 R/4 (Portugal)
Aermacchi M.B. 339A (Argentine Navy, used during Falklands War)
Piaggio P180 AM Avanti (Italy)
Aermacchi M.B. 339 (UAE)
Aermacchi M 346 (UAE)
Alenia Aeritalia G. 222 transport (Libya)
Portuguese G.91:

Nigeria- G-222 & MB 339
Ghana- MB 339
Congo- MB 326
Zaire- MB 326
- In 1980, during the turmoil in Chad, Libya sends troops with additional support from Zaire. The French eventually intervene and a ceasefire is signed in 1987.
- Portugal used its G-91s in Angola & Mozambique
- In 1977-78 Congo used its MB 326s during the Katangan/Zaire separatist movement. French & Moroccan intervention ends that conflict as well.