Mules have always been a faithful companion of the Alpini in the mountains, but now they could soon be joined by e-bikes.
Difesa Servizi Spa., In collaboration with Fantic Motor, a leading Italian company in two-wheelers and iconic off-road brand, and the Alpine Troops of the Italian Army, has in fact launched the experimentation of e-bikes in tactical configuration, specially designed for use intense on mountain trails and in a snowy environment.
At the training area of Villa Bassa 9 pedal assisted bicycles were delivered to start the six-month experimentation.
The desire to proceed with the experimentation of this modern vehicle in an operational key stems from the recent experiences gained in the "Alpine Troops mountaineering raids" which have highlighted the need to have suitable means for mobility, with low environmental and acoustic impact, such as to to be able to cover medium mountain routes quickly in the modern context of Mountain Warfare.
For the gen.
Claudio Berto, "the Alpine Troops have in their mobility one of the points that substantiate their ability to face the difficulties of operating in a challenging environment such as the mountain one".
The commander of the Alpine Troops defined "possible and plausible a military use of e-bikes even in those places that fatigue and slopes made inaccessible."
"The experimentation opens the way for a new and important activity of Difesa Servizi Spa in the field of testing for the civil industry, which allows our Armed Forces to evaluate new tools and new technologies of potential interest", declared Fausto Recchia, CEO of Difesa Servizi Spa. According to Mariano Roman, CEO of the Venetian company, "the 'stress test' of the Alpini will allow us to acquire even more data for a continuous improvement of the product".
