Italian Combat Rations

(Razione Viveri Speciale da Combattimento)

Italian Special Combat Food Ration" (Razione Viveri Speciale da Combattimento) Italian Special Combat Food Ration (Razione Viveri Speciale da Combattimento) Italian Special Combat Food Ration Contents
The Italian Armed Forces (Forze Armate) use a ration called the “Special Combat Food Ration” (Razione Viveri Speciale da Combattimento). Each individual ration is enough food for one soldier for one day. A single ration is approximately 30 cm x 23 cm x 10.5 cm with a weight of 2.3 kg.
Each meal bag contains three boxes – one for breakfast, one for lunch, and one for supper/dinner. These rations use canned food instead of the retort pouches seen in the US, British, and Canadian rations.

Italian combat rations come in seven different menus, called “Modules”, which are labeled A through G. Each Module is also assigned a color, which is indicated on the meal bag by a sticker of that color. See the menu listing below for a list of the modules and colors. The official NATO code for these rations is 8905-15-147-6202.

Italian rations have a “Use by” date that is two years after the ration is produced. So a ration such as the one in the pictures below (see “Ration Label” picture) which was produced in December, 2002, is best used by December, 2004.

 

Front of ration Back of ration
Front of Italian Special Combat Food Ration Back of Front of Italian Special Combat Food Ration
Ration label Description on back
Italian Special Combat Food Ration Label Italian Special Combat Food Ration Description

 
Italian ration vs. U.S. MRE and vs. German EPa

Italian combat ration versus US MRE Italian Combat Ration versus German EPA

Alcohol ration

 

Italian Combat Ration Alcohol Two of the seven Italian ration modules (B and F) contain an item called “Cordiale/bevanda alcolica”, or Cordial/alcoholic beverage. This is a 3 cl “shot” of a brandy-like liquor in a plastic bottle. The specification for this particular ration item say it must be no less than 70 proof (40°) alcohol and “Its appearance should be clear, pale yellow amber, with a pleasing smell and taste.”

 

 

Italian Combat Rations – 2007 Menu

Meal

Module A

Yellow

Module B

Red

Module C

Gray

Module D

Green

Module E

White

Module F

Pink

Module G

Blue

Breakfast Biscuits, sweet

Fruit jelly

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Coffee

Chocolate bar

Sugar

Water purification tablets

Cereal & chocolate bar

Fruit Jam

Cappuccino

Tea, sweetened

Cordial, alcohol

Sugar

Water purification tablets

Biscuits, sweet

Fruit jelly

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Coffee

Chocolate bar

Sugar

Water purification tablets

Biscuits, sweet

Fruit Jam

Cappuccino

Tea, sweetened

Chocolate bars

Sugar

Water purification tablets

Cereal & chocolate bar

Fruit jelly

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Coffee

Chocolate bar

Sugar

Water purification tablets

Biscuits, sweet

Fruit Jam

Capuccino

Tea, sweetened

Cordial, alcohol

Sugar

Water purification tablets

Biscuits, sweet

Fruit jelly

Sweetened Condensed Milk

Coffee

Chocolate bars

Sugar

Water purification tablets

Lunch

Tortellini in sauce

Beef, canned

Crackers

Mixed fruit

Vitamin tablets

Coffee

Bran crackers

Sugar

Pasta and beans

Turkey, canned

Mixed fruit

Vitamin tablets

Coffee

Bran crackers

Sugar

Tortellini in sauce

Sausage, canned

Crackers

Mixed fruit

Vitamin tablets

Coffee

Bran crackers

Sugar

Ravioli in sauce

Tuna and peas

Crackers

Mixed fruit

Vitamin tablets

Coffee

Bran crackers

Sugar

Ravioli in sauce

Pork, canned

Crackers

Mixed fruit

Vitamin tablets

Coffee

Bran crackers

Sugar

Minestrone

Beef, canned

Crackers

Mixed fruit

Vitamin tablets

Coffee

Bran crackers

Sugar

Tortellini in sauce

Sausage, canned

Crackers

Mixed fruit

Vitamin tablets

Coffee

Bran crackers

Sugar

Dinner

Minestrone

Tuna in oil

Crackers

Coffee

Sugar

Fruit cereal bars

Rice salad

Beef slices

Crackers

Coffee

Sugar

Energy bar

Pasta and beans

Mackerel in oil

Crackers

Coffee

Sugar

Fruit cereal bars

Minestrone

Beef, canned

Crackers

Coffee

Sugar

Fruit cereal bars

Pasta and beans

Chicken, canned

Crackers

Coffee

Sugar

Fruit cereal bars

Ravioli in sauce

Tuna with beans

Crackers

Coffee

Sugar

Fruit cereal bars

Rice salad

Turkey, canned

Crackers

Coffee

Sugar

Eenergy bar

Accessories (per Module):

3 x disposable toothbrushes for dental hygiene

1 x box of matches

6 x towelettes

3 x toothpicks

3 x trash bags

1 x salt packet

1 x camp stove6 x fuel tablets

2 x plastic cutlery (one for lunch and one for dinner)

1 x plastic spoon for breakfast

1 x instruction sheet

Packaging:

– Primary: cardboard boxes for food

– Secondary: vacuum-sealed bags.

Official Menus in Italian

2007 Menu and accessories 2003 Menu 2001 Menu 2000 Menu
Italian Combat Ration 2007 Menu
Italian Combat Ration 2007 Accessory Menu
Italian Combat Ration 2003 Menu Italian Combat Ration 2001 Menu Italian Combat Ration 2000 Menu

Links: Official Italian Minitry of Defence combat rations information

PDF copy of latest official rations technical specifications: Razione viveri da combattimento (edizione 2007) – S.T.314/U.I.


Sample Italian Combat Ration

Module G, the individual meal boxes contained within, and the contents of one of the boxes

Italian Combat Ration, Module G Italian Combat Ration, Module G Contents Italian Combat Ration, Module G Contents
Sample lunch and supper

Italian Combat Ration Lunch/Dinner Italian Combat Ration Lunch/Dinner


Labeling

Prior to 2004, all Italian Combat Rations were labeled in both Italian and English. However, starting in 2004, they removed the English from the packages:

2002 Ration 2004 Ration 2002/2004 rations side by side
Italian Combat Ration 2002 Label Italian Combat Ration 2004 Label Italian Combat 2002 & 2004 ration

 

1998 Module B Contents

Meal bag, boxes inside

Italian Combat Ration 1998 Module B Meal Bag Italian Combat Ration 1998 Module B - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
 

Breakfast Lunch Supper
Italian Combat Ration 1998 Module B - Breakfast Italian Combat Ration 1998 Module B - Lunch Italian Combat Ration 1998 Module B - Dinner

 

Misc. Italian Combat Rations Pictures

Italian Combat Rations Italian Combat Rations Contents Italian Combat Rations Contents
Italian Combat Rations, Different Modules Italian Combat Ration 2002 24 Hour Italian Combat Ration
 


Credits: Thanks to the following people and sites for information and pictures – Beppo, Housil, Juifahrer, Namachan/Adventure-World, Die Kampfzuteilung