During the Second World War, Italy developed numerous special weapons projects, both in the army and the air force. However, it was mainly in the navy that the most daring and fascinating innovations took place.
These included the famous assault craft: the "pigs" (slow-running torpedoes), the M.A.S. (torpedo-armed speedboats) and the explosive barges, the protagonists of glorious operations that culminated in legendary episodes such as the sinking of British ships in Alexandria harbour. Alongside these exploits, mention must also be made of the development of mini-submarines, a sector in which Italy was among the absolute pioneers. Extremely daring projects were conceived in secret bases, including the one - never realised due to the armistice - of striking New York harbour with a mini-submarine carried by an ocean-going submarine, a strategy that demonstrates the ingenuity and courage of the Italian designers of the time.