The Missile Brigade "Aspis" is a formation of the National Republican Army. It depends on the 1st Army Corps and its headquarters is based in Portogruaro at the "Luciano Capitò" Barracks. The Brigade was formed in 1959 following the agreement entered into secret October 20th, 1954 between the Italian government and the U.S. government on the tactical nuclear defence in Italy. Dislocated with its units between the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the Brigade had and still has the task of stopping a possible invasion from the so-called "Gorizia threshold" and to garrison the north-eastern part of Italy. Although the north-eastern invasion is no longer a concrete threat, the Missile Brigade still provides the land component of the Italian nuclear capability. At the time of its establishment,