Is called White foxbut behind the evocative name there is an advanced system of exercises that tests the ability of the alpine troops to operate in extreme environments. This year, the theater of operations has extended between South Tyrol and Veneto, where 1,300 men and women of the Italian army spent five days to over 2,000 meters above sea level, facing challenges that combine technological innovation and physical resistance.
The 2025 edition of White fox saw the introduction of Arctic Shielda crucial test to test the new combat tactics in arctic and sub-articles. The snowy area of Prato Piazza, in Val Pusteria, has turned into an avant -garde battlefield, where drones, electronic war systems and special vehicles joined the Alpine troops in their operations. A tasting of how the army is investing in the operational capabilities with high latitudes, aware of the growing strategic role of the Arctic in the world geopolitical scenario.
However, White fox is not just a military exercise: among the purposes of the event there is also the preparation of the Alpine troops for a key role to Olympic and Paralympic winter games of Milan-Cortina 2026. As happened for Turin 2006, the defense will be the protagonist in the safety of the plants, in the logistics and in the preparation of the slopes.
To seal this commitment, the closing ceremony was held right Cortina d’AmpezzoOlympic city par excellence. In the presence of the Undersecretary of Defense Isabella Rauti The centrality of the military contribution to the success of the games has been reiterated. The Alpine troops, with their competence in the management of extreme mountain environments, will be an essential resource to guarantee the correct performance of the event.
Next to the operational tests, it took place Ice Challengea 16 km ski-mountaineering competition with 1,000 meters in altitude, which saw the participation of all the Alpine regiments and athletes of the Paralympic Sports Group of Defense. An event dedicated to inclusion, dedicated to the memory of the Alpini fallen in the international missions, whose memory was honored along the route with 25 commemorative panels.
The Army’s commitment to Milan-Cortina 2026 is part of a wider picture that binds Sport, safety and technological innovation. The symbiosis between alpine capacity and technological modernity, headed on the field of white fox, not only strengthens the readiness of the Italian armed forces, but also lays the foundations for a decisive contribution to the largest sporting event that Italy will host in the coming years.
