In days gone by, at the’Italian Joint Force Air Component (ITA JFAC) of the Air Operations Command (COA), in the presence of the NATO Evaluation Team, concluded the Stage C Block of the’NATO Exercise Steadfast Dagger 2026, key moment in the ITA JFAC certification process as a capability of Command and Control for the Allied Reaction Force (ARF) of NATO. The C Block represents the phase dedicated to Crisis Response Planning (CRP), during which the personnel involved develop and analyse the operational options required to respond to complex, multi-domain crisis scenarios, demonstrating the ability to plan an air campaign.
During the CRP, the ITA JFAC team conducted planning activities through extensive analysis of the proposed scenario, evaluating threats, defining operational objectives, and integrating capabilities from multiple domains.
The exercise confirmed the full maturity of the joint planning process and the Command's capability to operate in high-intensity contexts.
During the exercise, the Air Marshal Silvano Frigerio, Commander of the Air Squad Command – 1st Air Region, visited the personnel involved and participated in daily planning activities, observing the work of the functional cells closely and underlining, in his speech, the importance of Steadfast Dagger 2026 for the Operational growth of the’Italian Air Force, for the future employment of ITA JFAC as a NATO rapid reaction force: “The high level of professionalism and operational pace I observed confirms the excellent standards of the ITA JFAC. This exercise is concrete preparation for the responsibilities we will face in the ARF NATO rotation: operating to common standards is the only way to be truly interoperable and act as a single, united team in defence of the Alliance.”.
At the end of this first certification phase, the Air Division General Luca Maineri, The Commander of COA and ITA JFAC highlighted the positive feedback from the evaluators, recognising the commitment, professionalism and cohesion of the entire team. The General stressed how exercises of this type are fundamental for maintaining high operational standards and for ensuring full interoperability with Allied Forces.
The’ITA JFAC In Poggio Renatico is the Air Force command and control facility that is activated when necessary, during a crisis. Its task is to plan, develop, assign and conduct air missions in accordance with the directives issued by the Ministry of Defence. In peacetime, the permanent structure is called “Core JFAC”The ITA JFAC reports to the Aerospace Operations Command (COA), which ensures the surveillance and defence of national airspace, the management of the aerospace command and control chain, and coordination with NATO structures. The COA exercises Command and Control over permanent operational activities, both domestically and in theatres outside national borders, from peacetime. It is also the doctrinal reference point for the use and development of Aerospace power.
These functions are carried out every day of the year, 24 hours a day, seamlessly, through the national Operations Rooms located within the base. The COA provides the strategic and operational vision for the entire aerospace spectrum, while the JFAC represents the component dedicated to the planning and management of complex air operations.
