Rear Admiral Giancarlo Ciappina

Commander, Naval Aviation Department Italian Navy

RADM Giancarlo Ciappina graduated from the Naval Academy in 1996 and received his Naval Aviator wings in Corpus Christi (US – Texas) as fixed wing pilot and in Pensacola (US - Florida) as rotary wing pilot, in 1998. Up to 2004, he served on board several ships of the fleet as AB 212 Anti-Submarine Warfare pilot. He served as Flag Aide to the Chief of the Italian Navy and the Italian Minister of Defense, as Head of Cabinet of the Undersecretary of State for Defense and as Assistant to the Deputy Chief of the Navy. He's been Commanding Officer of the Patrol Vessel SPICA, employed mainly in illegal fishing surveillance operations and in monitoring illegal immigration within the Mediterranean Sea, of ASW FREMM Frigate "VIRGINIO FASAN", detached in the Mediterranean Sea during "Mare Sicuro" Operation and NATO Active Endeavor Operation and of the Italian Navy Flagship, the Aircraft Carrier CAVOUR, detached in Norfolk for the "Ready For Operation" campaign, aimed at the certification to operate the 5th generation VSTOL jet, F-35B. He has been the first Head of the Office for Outer Space and Innovative Technologies at the Italian Navy General Staff and executive Assistant to the Deputy and to the Chief of the Italian Navy. Since June 2023 he is the Commander of the Italian Fleet Air Arm and Director of the Naval Aviation Department at the Italian Navy General Staff. From 2024 to 2025 he obtained the additional position as Commander of the Italian Navy Carrier Strike Group, deployed for the first time in the Indo Pacific region.