132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete"
| 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" | |
|---|---|
| 132a Brigata Corazzata "Ariete" | |
Coat of Arms of the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" | |
| Active | Division: 1 October 1952 – 30 September 1986 Brigade: 23 May 1948 - 30 September 1952 1 October 1986 – present |
| Country | Italy |
| Branch | Italian Army |
| Role | Armored warfare |
| Size | Brigade |
| Part of | Operational Land Forces Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Pordenone |
| Mottos | "Ferrea mole, Ferreo cuore" (Iron mass, Iron heart) |
| Colors | Blue and red |
| Mascot | Ram Head |
| Engagements | Somalia UNITAF Bosnia SFOR Kosovo KFOR Afghanistan ISAF Iraq Multinational force in Iraq Lebanon UNIFIL |
The 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" (Italian: 132a Brigata Corazzata "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 Pordenone, and most of its units are based in the northeast of Italy. The brigade's name comes from the battering ram (Italian: Ariete). 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 a division and remained active until 1986. Today the brigade is part of the Operational Land Forces Command.