Carabinieri Regiment " Tuscania " The Regiment Carabinieri " Tuscania " ( or more properly the 1st Regiment Carabinieri " Tuscania " ) is a Special Forces unit of the Italian Carabinieri . It is formed from paratroopers and is part of the Carabinieri Second Mobile Brigade along with the 7th Carabinieri Regiment based in Laives ( in South Tyrol ) , the 13th Carabinieri Regiment based in Gorizia , and the Special Intervention Group . The Tuscania is currently based in Livorno , and has approximately 550 personnel . The regiment combines training and military type operations . History . The department perpetuates the traditions of the " 1 Battalion Royal Carabinieri paratroopers " , formed on July 1 , 1940 ; it fought in World War II on the North Africa n front ( 1941 ) . Elements of what would become the present regiment significantly contributed to the actions in the 1960s against guerrilla s , as opposed to the initiatives of terrorist - separatist by certain local independentist movements . In 1975 , in conjunction with military organization , it assumed the name of " 1st Battalion Carabinieri Paratroopers " Tuscania " " . The current designation of " Regiment " was awarded on June 1 , 1996 , and it was subordinated to the 2nd Brigade Mobile Carabinieri . The regiment took part in the most important operations conducted by the Italian military in Lebanon , Namibia , Somalia , West Bank , Bosnia , Kosovo , Afghanistan , Iraq . It also conducted security operations in support of Italian embassies and diplomatic missions exposed to conditions of severe risk . Recruitment and training . The course ( which is accessed after a preliminary screening out of people who are not eligible ) lasts nine months and , among other things , provides the achievement of the special status of military paratrooper . Only one candidate out of three attains the rank of Explorer but training it is not over then . The new trooper is assigned to a battalion ( operational structure ) , and alternates missions with specialized courses at home or abroad . Despite being awarded the status of an Armed Force to the Carabinieri on 5 October 2000 , the Tuscania remains closely connected to the Folgore Parachute Brigade , with which it shares the red beret . The Regiment also has a Sport Parachute Section , which is placed directly under the General Command of the Carabinieri . Use . The areas of intervention of Tuscania cover : All members of the Special Intervention Group come from the ranks of Tuscania . Individual armament . Apart from special allocations of certain operators ( see , for example Barrett M82 ) , possibly related to the use of squad weapons or to the needs of unconventional warfare , any " Tuscania " member carries the same sidearm as common Carabinieri , the Beretta 92 FS , and , like most Italian paratroopers , the foldingstock SC 70 / 90 or the shortened SCS 70 / 90 version of the Beretta AR70 / 90 assault rifle , or Beretta Model 12 sub - machine gun currently provided to the Italian armed forces . By the late 1990s , the Beretta rifle has been replaced by a version of the American carbine M4A1 built by Bushmaster and equipment vests are a special version of the Israeli " Ephod " made for the Tuscania regiment by an Israeli firm , Hagor . They also use the HK53 with a British - made 40mm grenade launcher . Sports . Regiment " Tuscania " also includes a Sport Parachute Unit , which boasts many brilliant results both in the civil and military , including several world titles achieved in the years 1990 , 1994 , 1998 , 1999 .