The 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" () is currently the only active armored brigade of the Italian Army. Its core units are tank and Bersaglieri regiments. The brigade's headquarters is in the city of Pordenone and most of its units are based in the North-East of Italy. The brigade's name comes from the battering ram (). The brigade draws much of its historical traditions from the 132nd Armored Division "Ariete", which fought in the Western Desert Campaign of World War II. In 1948 the Ariete was reconstituted as division and remained active until 1986. Today the brigade is part of the Division "Vittorio Veneto".
History
World War II
The 132nd Armored Division "Ariete" was formed in February 1939. In December 1940 the division was sent to Libya to fight in the Western Desert Campaign. The division was destroyed in the Second Battle of El Alamein and declared lost due to wartime events on 8 December 1942.
Reconstitution
On 23 May 1948 the Italian Army raised the Armored Brigade "Ariete" at Forte Pietralata in Rome. The same year it was transferred to Pordenone in the Friuli region in Northern Italy and assigned to V Army Corps. The brigade consisted of the following units.
Armored Brigade "Ariete", in Pordenone
8th Bersaglieri Regiment, in Pordenone
III Bersaglieri Battalion (M3 Half-tracks) V Bersaglieri Battalion (M3 Half-tracks) 132nd Tank Regiment, in Aviano I Tank Battalion (M26 Pershing tanks) II Tank Battalion (M26 Pershing tanks) 132nd Armored Artillery Regiment, in Pordenone I Self-propelled Howitzer Group (M7 Priest self-propelled howitzers) II Self-propelled Howitzer Group (M7 Priest self-propelled howitzers) III Self-propelled Howitzer Group (M7 Priest self-propelled howitzers) IV Light Air-defense Group (M1 40mm anti-aircraft guns) Engineer Platoon Signal Platoon Brigade Services
Armored Division "Ariete" On 1 October 1952 the brigade was expanded to full division and consisted of the following units:
Armored Division "Ariete" 8th Bersaglieri Regiment III Bersaglieri Battalion (M3 Half-tracks) V Bersaglieri Battalion (M3 Half-tracks) XII Bersaglieri Battalion (M3 Half-tracks) Bersaglieri Anti-tank Company (M40 recoilless rifles) 132nd Tank Regiment I Tank Battalion (M26 Pershing tanks, later replaced by M47 Patton main battle tanks) II Tank Battalion (M26 Pershing tanks, later replaced by M47 Patton main battle tanks) III Tank Battalion (M26 Pershing tanks, later replaced by M47 Patton main battle tanks) 132nd Armored Artillery Regiment I Self-propelled Howitzer Group (M7 Priest self-propelled howitzers) II Self-propelled Howitzer Group (M7 Priest self-propelled howitzers) III Self-propelled Howitzer Group (M7 Priest self-propelled howitzers) IV Self-propelled Howitzer Group (M7 Priest self-propelled howitzers) V Light Air-defense Group (M1 40mm anti-aircraft guns) VI Light Air-defense Group (M1 40mm anti-aircraft guns) Armored Cavalry Squadron "Cavalleggeri Guide" (M8 Greyhound) 132nd Engineer Company (expanded to Engineer Battalion "Ariete" on 1 July 1958) 132nd Signal Company (expanded to Signal Battalion "Ariete" on 1 October 1958) Divisional Services
1963 reorganization
In 1963 Italian divisions adapted their organization to NATO standards and thus added a brigade level to the divisions structure. In the same year the reconstitution of the 32nd Tank Regiment began. The Ariete was now organized as follows: