The Gruppo di Intervento Speciale (GIS) is the special forces unit of the Italian Carabinieri, founded on 6 February 1978. It was set up as an elite airborne special operations and counter-terrorism tactical response unit with the goal of protecting Italy during the violent "Years of Lead", a period of endemic political terrorism. It took part in counter-terrorism operations and VIP, executive, and dignitary protection security details since its inception, and it fought in the Years of Lead, the Kosovo War, the Iraq War, and the Afghanistan War.