The Italian Army (Esercito Italiano) is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel numbering 108.355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank and among its aircraft the Mangusta attack helicopter recently deployed in UN missions. The headquarters of the Army General Staff are located in Rome opposite the Presidential Palace.
