Combat Dome: the Folgore experiments with the future of the battlefield

The Paratroopers Brigade “Folgore” returns as the protagonist of one of the most significant training activities of the Italian Army with the exercise “Combat Dome”, conducted at the Altopascio Drop Zone, in the province of Lucca. A complex activity that involved men, vehicles, and advanced technologies in an operational scenario designed to simulate the modern dynamics of land combat.

The exercise took place in the presence of the Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto, accompanied by the Chief of Staff of the Army, General of the Army Corps Carmine Masiello, and the Deputy Commander for Combat Forces, General of the Army Corps Francesco Bruno. Welcoming the delegation was the Commander of the Paratroopers Brigade “Folgore”, Brigadier General Dario Paduano.

Before the start of the operational activities, the authorities visited the Parachuting Training Center (CAPAR), a national reference structure for the parachuting training of the Armed Forces. The CAPAR is indeed the only Defense entity responsible for the training of personnel destined for airborne troops, Specialized Units with Airborne Capabilities of the Defense, and the State's armed corps.

During the visit, some of the activities that characterize the training path of the paratroopers were illustrated: from the phases of the Parachuting Course to the Military Combat Method, including the conditioning of loads destined for airdrop and the activities of the Airborne and Maintenance Company. A training system that continues to focus on the combination of physical preparation, operational capabilities, and technological innovation, elements increasingly central in contemporary scenarios.

Drones, cyber, and tactical mobility

The core of the exercise developed in the training area of Altopascio, where the Brigade simulated offensive and defensive operations in an environment characterized by high tactical complexity and strong technological integration.

“Combat Dome” was designed to verify the ability of paratrooper units to plan and conduct multidomain operational activities, integrating different assets and specialties on the ground. Of particular note was the use of remotely piloted systems, used for tactical reconnaissance missions, target acquisition, and support for attacks against enemy defensive positions.

A choice that reflects the evolution of modern operational theaters, where drones, electronic warfare, and cyber capabilities are playing an increasingly decisive role. Not surprisingly, among the assets involved was also the 9th Cyber Security Department “Rombo”, a department specialized in the protection and management of the Army's digital and cyber capabilities.

During the activity, coordinated interventions were also simulated with the support of artillery fire and anti-tank systems, along with the creation of fortified defensive positions, an element that has become central again in recent international conflicts. Great attention was also paid to tactical micromobility on the battlefield, a continuously evolving sector that aims to ensure speed of movement, protection, and maneuverability in highly dynamic contexts.

The exercise saw the involvement of the 187th Paratroopers Regiment “Folgore”, the 186th Paratroopers Regiment “Folgore”, the 8th Paratroopers Engineers Regiment “Folgore”, the 184th RCST Paratroopers “Nembo”, the 185th Paratroopers Artillery Regiment “Folgore”, and the Logistic Regiment “Folgore”, in addition to the assets of the Army Aviation Command and the 46th Air Brigade of Pisa.

The Folgore and the transformation of the military instrument

The activity confirms the role of the Paratroopers Brigade “Folgore” as one of the main components with high operational readiness of the Italian Army. The ability to rapidly project men and equipment even in isolated or hard-to-reach areas continues to represent one of the strategic elements of the national airborne component.

In recent years, the Army has intensified the modernization process of its land forces, adapting to the evolution of threats and the changes observed in contemporary conflicts. In this context, exercises like “Combat Dome” assume fundamental value because they allow for field verification of the integration between man, technology, and operational capabilities.

Particular importance is also given to the involvement of logistics, cyber, and combat support units, confirming how the modern battlefield requires increasing synergy between different components. Drones, digital networks, advanced mobility, and rapid decision-making are today as essential as the traditional training of the paratrooper.

The presence of the highest Defense authorities also highlighted the importance attributed to the preparation of forces with high operational availability, especially in an international context characterized by growing instability and the need to maintain immediate intervention capabilities.

The Paratroopers Brigade “Folgore”, with its operational experience and continuous technological evolution, thus continues to represent one of the most versatile and readily deployable tools of the Italian Army, maintaining high training standards and consolidating its role in future crisis scenarios.