Air Division General Luciano Ippoliti succeeds Air Division General Alessandro De Lorenzo.
Monday 23 September, the military airport “Mario de Bernardi of Pratica di Mare hosted the ceremony that marked the handover at the top of the Air Experimentation Department of Aeronautics and Space, between the Air Vice-Marshal Alessandro De Lorenzo (outgoing) and the Air Divisional General Luciano Ippoliti (coming in).
The ceremony, presided over by Logistics Commander, Air Squad General Antonio Conserva, saw the participation of numerous military authorities, from both the Air Force and other Armed Forces/State Armed Corps, civilian authorities, and a representation of military and civilian personnel from the Air Division.
Gen. D.A. Alessandro De Lorenzo was the second Commander of the Air and Space Experimentation Division, an organisation established on 8 March 2021, which inherited the legacy of the Flight Experimental Centre and the Pratica di Mare Airport Command, uniting their skills and duties.
Gen. D.A. Alessandro De Lorenzo, after extending a heartfelt and warm greeting to the Logistic Commander, civil, military and religious authorities, representatives of industry and distinguished guests, began by acknowledging the War Flag of the Experimental Flight Department which “guardian and at the same time witness of values such as duty, discipline, homeland, honour, sacrifice, loyalty, ethical integrity, professionalism and passion, which I felt very strongly throughout the period of Command.”. Moving on to the heart of the farewell speech, he listed the multiple and complex activities that D.A.S.A.S. ensures daily for the numerous co-located bodies. “always with respect for worker safety and full respect for and protection of the environment”, recalling then “the organisation of the Air Show for the Centenary in June 2023, an epochal event that required an ineffable effort, but was rewarded with a success beyond all possible and desirable expectations. Having thanked the D.A.S.A.S. staff for the excellent results achieved, he concluded by hoping for “Luciano, great Commander and dear friend”, who as successor, “My sincerest good luck for the challenging task that awaits you.”.
In his first speech as Commander of the Air Experimentation Division, Air Division General Luciano Ippoliti began by emphasising that “Taking on such an important command at a location like Pratica di Mare Airport is an even greater honour for me. I had the privilege of serving at this historic base for many years, and returning here is like finding a family again. But a family that has grown a lot over time, which I now see with pleasure as increasingly active, dynamic, and fully integrated into the local community.” to then look to the future mentioning “the significant infrastructure upgrade programmes that will affect Pratica di Mare Airport in the coming years. Then, addressing the Division's staff, he asked them to continue with the same dedication and commitment they had shown to date. General Luciano Ippoliti finally turned to “A special and heartfelt thank you to General Alessandro De Lorenzo, outgoing Commander, friend and mentor, for the exceptional work carried out during his period of command.”.
The Logistics Commander, Air Force General Antonio Conserva, in his address first underlined how “Today’s \[or This\] day is an opportunity to highlight the strategic importance of this Division, which daily tackles study, experimentation, and testing activities with interdisciplinary methodologies that encompass all aerospace experimentation sectors, in synergy with academic, national, and international excellence.”and then to praise the work done by General De Lorenzo, citing “the multiplicity of activities carried out in these two years. He then concluded by wishing the new Commander of the D.A.S.A.S. well. “to bring to completion the relevant infrastructure programmes affecting Pratica di Mare airport, which are fundamental for ensuring the base can manage the technological programmes on the agenda”.
D.A.S.A.S. represents the first and only example in Italy of the rationalisation and centralisation into a single structure of individual study and experimentation centres dependent on an Armed Force. An Organisation that, in synergy with national and international aeronautical excellences, carries out study, experimentation, testing, technical-operational evaluation and research support activities for new aeronautical weapon systems, also for the benefit of other Armed Forces and/or State Armed Corps, when requested. The Aeronautical and Space Experimentation Air Division also ensures technical-logistical, administrative and operational support to the A.M. Organisations/Departments located on the airport site, as well as to other present Armed Forces and State Armed Corps Organisations. Finally, it ensures the services necessary for the safe and effective conduct of flight activities and the management of activities connected with the reception, embarkation and disembarkation of personnel, materials and means arriving at and departing from Pratica di Mare airport.
