General Fernando Giancotti met with staff at the Air Operations Command in Poggio Renatico and presented the “Squadra 4.0” project as part of the Armed Forces“ Mission and Vision. On 15 February, the Commander of the Air Force, Air Force General Fernando Giancotti, paid a visit to the Air Operations Command (COA) at Poggio Renatico, accompanied by the Chairman of the Non-Commissioned Officers, Senior Non-Commissioned Officers and Enlisted Personnel of the Air Force Command, First Lieutenant Domenico Verde. The Commander of the COA, Air Division General Antonio Conserva, introduced a series of briefings delivered by the COA’s Operational Staff on operational planning, the operations and exercises conducted in 2017, and the 2018 work programme, which will see the COA engaged on various fronts, ranging from training in the field of ”Command and Control“ to the conceptual development of air power and the conduct of complex fifth-generation operations. In the afternoon, the Air Wing Commander met with base personnel in the Air Force Command’s conference room and presented the ”Squadra 4.0“ plan, which incorporates and operates within the framework of the Armed Forces” “Mission” and “Vision“ as outlined in the same room a few weeks earlier by the Chief of the Air Staff. During the conference, the General emphasised that “the cornerstone of the Squadra 4.0 project is the personnel, particularly the young people, who are an invaluable resource and the future of the Air Force”, and he emphasised the need for “effective leadership at all levels, to ensure the motivation and full development of every service member”. Following this, General Giancotti visited several operational facilities at the Air Operations Command (C.O.A.), specifically the National Operations Centre (ITA-AOC) and the Operations Centre of the Integrated Air and Missile Defence Division (DAMI) inside the bunker. The visit concluded with the signing of the Book of Honour, in which General Giancotti addressed the Air Operations Command, describing it as central to the development of the nation’s air power, and thanked the staff for “what has been achieved through great dedication and professionalism, and for what they will do for our Air Force and its operational capabilities”.
The Air Operations Command, an intermediate command reporting to the Air Force Command, is the body responsible for training, educating and deploying personnel dedicated to the Armed Forces' Air Command and Control.
