BASE TUONO
WITNESSES OF THE COLD WAR
A 20-minute drive from Tonezza, going up towards Passo Coe, one reaches Base Tuono.
The base was part of the NATO command-control system, with 12 other bases in northeastern Italy, and was an operational area of the 66th Teleguided Interceptor Group (I.T.) Monte Toraro dependent on the 7th I.T. Group, which was based on the Vicenza airfield, which in turn was framed within the 1st Teleguided Interceptor Aerobrigade in Padua. Located at an altitude of 1897 m (altitude of the “control area”), the base was in fact the “highest in Europe.” Its function was to counter any formations of enemy bombers or missiles from “enemy countries,” namely those belonging to the Warsaw Pact.
The Coe Pass base remained active between 1966 and 1977, that is, at the height of the Cold War. It consisted of three sections:
“launch area” located at malga Zonta - Coe Pass (1543 m) consisting of three Nike-Hercules missile launching sections with conventional warheads;
“control area” (radar and command wagons) located on the summit of nearby Mt. Toraro (1897 m), about 4 kilometers as the crow flies (referred to precisely as ‘Thunder’ in code radio communications);
“logistics area” located in Tonezza del Cimone, about 15 kilometers away.
On October 31, 1978, the 66th I.T. Group was disbanded and its personnel redeployed to other duties.
For information and tours visit www.basetuono.it
BASE TUONO AS SEEN FROM DRONE
“FOCUS” DOCUMENTARIES CONCERNING BASE TUONO
SOME PICTURES OF BASE TUONO
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