NATO Rapid Deployable Italian Corps

The NATO Rapid Deployable Corps - Italy (NRDC-IT) (also Rapid Deployable Italian Corps) is a corps headquarters of the Italian Army. It was established in November 2001 as a High Readiness Force (HRF) of NATO. The staff of NRDC-IT is located in Solbiate Olona, a few kilometers northwest of Milan. The NRDC-IT was the former 3rd Army Corps.

In 1997, in the wake of a major restructuring of the Italian Army, the 3rd Army Corps was transformed into the Projection Forces Command (COMFOP) in command and control of three Brigades, which were characterized by high mobility and deployability. However already on 1 December 2000 the 3rd Army Corps ceded its last brigades to the 1st Defence Forces Command (COMFOD 1°) and with its personnel the NATO Rapid Deployable Italian Corps was raised in January 2001.

Structure
NRDC-IT is operationally led by the Joint Force Command Headquarters in Naples, Brunssum or Lisbon. Its staff currently (2006) comprises soldiers from 15 NATO member states, but the Commander and a large part of the staff are Italian. Normally, the Corps commands only a support regiment and the 1st Signals Regiment of the Italian Army, but if necessary it can command further support units as well as a number of divisions or brigades.

Exercises
From its establishment until its deployment in Afghanistan, NRDC-IT has participated in the following exercises:


 * Lion Start (5 to 8 February 2002, Solbiate Olona)
 * Spear Head (16 to 25 April 2002, Ramstein, Germany)
 * Hot Red Fire (11 to 14 June 2002, Solbiate Olona, Turbigo, La Conigliera)
 * Eagle Flight (2 September to 15 October 2002, Civitavecchia)
 * Light Ship (3 to 13 December 2002, Civitavecchia)
 * Sharp Dagger (21 April to 2 May 2003, Wildflecken, Germany)
 * Northern Light (15 to 26 September 2003, Luce Bay, Scotland)
 * Roman Warrior (10 to 27 November 2003, Solbiate Olona, Varese)
 * Eagle Landing (15 March to 2 April 2004, Legnano, Novara, Solbiate Olona)
 * Allied Action (1 May to 8 June 2004, Civitavecchia and Monteromano)
 * Eagle Recce (27 to 31 July 2004, Cameri, Vergiate, Solbiate Olona)
 * Destined Glory (28 September to 15 October 2004, Cagliari and Capo Teulada)
 * Ready to Move (25 October to 26 November 2004, Solbiate Olona)
 * Eagle Focus 1-2-3 (25 January to 28 February 2005, Solbiate Olona)
 * Eagle Action (6 to 14 May 2005, Solbiate Olona)
 * Eagle Thunder (7 to 23 June 2005, Stavanger, Norway)