With the 1975 reforms the Italian Army abolished the regimental level and replaced it with brigades made up of multiple arms (including for example armour, infantry, and artillery). During the reform the army disbanded 48 regimental commands and reduced its force by 87 battalions.[1] A further ten regimental commands were used to raise ten new brigade commands. Ten training centers, which for traditional reasons had carried the names of regiments, were also disbanded. The reduction in units also allowed to mechanize most of the remaining units in Northern Italy and Italy's defense strategy changed from a hold-at-all-costs territorial defense to one of mobile warfare.
The reform was pushed through by General Andrea Cucino. Having become Chief of the General Staff of the Army on 1 February 1975,[2] Cucino, concerned with the number of under-manned and under-equipped units, ordered an immediate review of the army's structure. After two months Cucino and his staff presented a plan to restructure the entire army, and having secured an additional 1,100 billion Lire over 10 years to modernize the army's equipment, Cucino ordered the reform to begin with 1 September 1975. By 31 November 1975 the reform concluded and the army's organs, units, doctrine, training, and organization had been thoroughly and radically altered.[1] After the reform operational units were at 93% readiness, with the Armored Division "Ariete" and the Anti-aircraft Artillery Command at 100% readiness.