The handover ceremony with Lt. Col. Fusco at the Command of the 21st Air Force Radar Group in Poggio Ballone was attended by Col. Cattel.
Lieutenant Colonel Fusco is leaving the command of the Department, which he took over in September 2008, to take up an important and prestigious position within the Air Staff.
The new Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Stefanizzi, comes from the Air Operations Command in Poggio Renatico (Ferrara) and has extensive operational experience, gained from assignments held at numerous Italian air defence units.
At the ceremony, attended by Colonel Arturo Cattel, Commander of the Air Force Radar Group Coordination Centre, numerous civil and military authorities from the province of Grosseto were present. Lieutenant Colonel Fusco, in his moving farewell speech, thanked Colonel Cattel for the trust placed in him and expressed words of appreciation and gratitude for the work of the “Cerberi” who have always distinguished themselves, in Italy and abroad, for their professionalism, ability, and commitment, making him “deeply proud to have been their Commander”Lieutenant Colonel Stefanizzi, in his speech, in turn thanked Colonel Cattel for the prestigious assignment entrusted to him and Lieutenant Colonel Fusco for leaving him an excellent Unit, which,“thanks to your impeccable work”and to the“extreme professionalism of men and women”by Oak Radar,“it has always performed well and responded to both the Nation and NATO with the required level of efficiency”. Colonel Cattel, at the close of the ceremony, expressed gratitude to the outgoing Commander for the work carried out and wished the incoming one, “Who has the honour of leading the Cerberus”, a fruitful integration into the new role, assuring him maximum support from the Radar Groups Coordination Centre. Lieutenant Colonel Fabio Stefanizzi, born in Brindisi on 4 July 1965, was enlisted in the Air Force in 1986 with the 73rd AUC Course, attended at the Air War School in Florence. Upon completion of the 5th DA/ARC qualification course at the Training Technical Brigade – Air Defence of Borgo Piave, he was assigned to the 31st Radar Group of Jacotenente (FG), as an Air Defence Controller Officer.
From 1991 to 1997, he served with the 35th Radar Group in Marsala (TP), holding various positions: Officer in Charge of Track Production, Interception Controller, Head of Air Surveillance Section, and Head of Operations and Training Section.
In 1997, having obtained his qualification as Junior Chief Controller, he was transferred to the 3rd ROC in Martina Franca (TA), where he held the position of SOC Controller.
In 1999, he took up the position of Lay Judge (non-magistrate) at the Military Tribunal of Bari.
In September 1999, he was transferred to COFA in Poggio Renatico, where he held the position of Officer in the Tactical Control Section of the Current Operations Office.
In January 2005, as the AWACS Fixed Wing Flight Tactical Director, he was sent to Germany, to the “E3A Component at Geilenkirchen”, where he subsequently became Head of the Tactical Directors Section of No. 3 Squadron and, thereafter, Commander of the Component's Simulators Division.
In January 2009, he returned to Italy and was assigned to COFA in Poggio Renatico with the role of Officer in the Current Operations Section of the Current Operations Division.
He was employed in several OFCN Operations: in Kosovo, at the ’Multinational Brigade West“, at ”NATO HQ SARAJEVO-BOSNIA“, and at ”US Centcomm“ in Tampa (Florida), for Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Lieutenant Colonel Stefanizzi is married and has two children.
The 21st Air Force Radar Group carries out air traffic control activities 24 hours a day within its assigned area, with the tasks of traffic identification, dissemination of air situation information, and contribution to operations, including, when delegated, the tactical control of air defence aircraft.
Born in 1954 at Vigna di Valle Airport (Rome) and transferred to Poggio Ballone in 1966, the 21st Radar Group has seen a significant increase in its area of responsibility, which currently covers all of north-western and central Italy.
