Air Division General Gabriele Salvestroni takes up the post of Chief of Staff of the Air Force Command. The event, presided over by Air Force General Tiziano Tosi, Commander of the Air Force, was attended by staff from the organisations based at the Centocelle site and representatives of the units under the aforementioned High Command. In his address, General Magrassi thanked all the personnel who, at this particular moment in history, have been able to tackle and brilliantly resolve ever-changing and new challenges. General le Salvestroni thanked the Air Force leadership for the new post entrusted to him, making it clear from the outset that he would do his utmost to fulfil it to the best of his ability. He then addressed the General Staff, urging everyone to continue working with the same dedication they have shown to date. Finally, General Tosi emphasised that the Italian Air Force is increasingly an agile Armed Force, ready to adapt dynamically to ever-changing scenarios and new operational requirements. He then thanked General Magrassi for his collaboration and wished General Salvestroni “all the best” in his new role. The Air Force Command is hierarchically superior to the Air Force’s peripheral operational units and formations, such as Intermediate Commands, Brigades, Wings, Airfields, Flight Groups, Radar Groups, missile units, etc. The institutional task assigned to the High Command is to prepare these bodies so that they acquire and maintain the level of operational readiness and logistical autonomy necessary to achieve the objectives defined by the Armed Forces. As part of the process of rationalising the Armed Forces, since 1 January 2011, the C.S.A. has also assumed responsibility for the operational deployment of its subordinate units, through the Air Operations Command (C.O.A.) at Poggio Renatico (Ferrara). Overall, the C.S.A. comprises 87 units, including Commands, Units and supporting Training/Operational Bodies, distributed throughout the country, with a total strength of approximately 20,000 personnel, comprising both military and civilian staff.
