Joint Operations Command (Italy)

Last updated
Joint Operations Headquarters
Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze
Active10 December 1998 - Present
CountryFlag of Italy.svg  Italy
RoleJoint operations
Part of Stemma dello Stato Maggiore della Difesa italiano.svg Defence Staff
Garrison/HQ Centocelle Airport
Commanders
Current
commander		 Gen. C.A. I.S. Francesco Paolo Figliuolo
Deputy Commander Gen. S.A. Silvano Frigerio
Chief of Staff Amm. Div. Valter Zappellini

The Joint Operations Headquarters (Italian : Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze, COVI) is the Italian joint operational command directly reporting to the Chief of the Defence Staff. This command exercises the planning, coordination and direction of the military operations of the Italian armed forces, and on joint and multinational exercises and all activities connected to them. Through the COVI, the Chief of the Defence Staff is able to exercise his functions as Operational Commander of the Armed Forces. [1]

Contents

History

The Joint Operations Headquarters was established in 1998 in order to provide the Chief of the Defence Staff of the means to direct the whole operational activity of the Italian Armed Forces. [2]

After the provision enshrined in the law, the Activation Cell of the Command was established on 13 August 1997; on 18 March 1998 the Cell was upgraded to Initial Formation Team of the Joint Operations Command, and on 10 December 1998 the Command assumed operational duties. Eventually, on 1 November 1999 the Command reached the full operating capability. At first, headquarters were placed in the military citadel of the Cecchignola". In 1998 the seat was moved to Centocelle Airport. [3]

The Joint Operations Headquarters (COI) has been the body employed by the Chief of the Defence Staff in charge of planning, coordinating and directing the military operations of the Italian Armed Forces and multinational exercises. The Command was also in charge of managing the requests and execution of the competition activities of the Italian Armed Forces on the occasion of natural disasters or extraordinary events. [4]

Over the years, a number of joint commands were set up that remained excluded from the jurisdiction of the COI. These commands direct the special forces, the cyber component and the space component. [4]

On 26 July 2021 the Command was upgraded and renamed from Joint Operations Command (Comando Operativo Interforze, COI) to Joint Summit Operations Command (Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze, COVI) with its Commander being promoted from a "plain" Lieutenant General to a Lieutenant General of rank equal to Service Chiefs. [5]

The new version of the Command was introduced in order to facilitate the coordination of the joint operational components, which continue to remain directly under the Chief of the Defence Staff, in the five domains (land, sea, sky, space and cyber) maintaining the principle of uniqueness of command. [6]

The restructured Command also includes subordinate commands COFS, COR and COS in order to unify the command in the five domains and in such a way as to become the focal point of the operational components. [4]

Commanders

From 1998 to 2021 the Command had been held by a three-star general/flag officer. Since 26 July 2021, the COVI has been led by a three-star general/flag officer "with special duties", senior in rank to ordinary three-star general/flag officers.

RankNameService branchTook officeLeft officeTerm lengthNotes
1 Gen. C.A. Giuseppe Orofino Coat of arms of the Esercito Italiano.svg Italian Army 13 August 19977 August 20013 years, 359 days
2 Gen. C.A. Carlo Cabigiosu Coat of arms of the Esercito Italiano.svg Italian Army 7 August 200123 June 2002320 days
3 Gen. C.A. Filiberto Cecchi Coat of arms of the Esercito Italiano.svg Italian Army 23 June 200211 July 20053 years, 18 daysLater Chief of Staff of the Italian Army
4 Gen. C.A. Fabrizio Castagnetti Coat of arms of the Esercito Italiano.svg Italian Army 11 July 20055 September 20072 years, 56 daysLater Chief of Staff of the Italian Army
5 Gen. C.A. Mauro Del Vecchio Coat of arms of the Esercito Italiano.svg Italian Army 5 September 20077 March 2008184 days
6 Gen. C.A. Giuseppe Valotto Coat of arms of the Esercito Italiano.svg Italian Army 7 March 200817 September 20091 year, 194 daysLater Chief of Staff of the Italian Army
7 Gen. S.A. Tommaso Ferro Coat of arms of the Italian Air Force.svg Italian Air Force 17 September 200910 May 2010235 days
8 Gen. C.A. Giorgio Cornacchione Coat of arms of the Esercito Italiano.svg Italian Army 10 May 20106 February 20121 year, 272 days
9 Gen. C.A. Marco Bertolini Coat of arms of the Esercito Italiano.svg Italian Army 6 February 20121 July 20164 years, 146 days
10 Amm. Sq. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone Coat of arms of Marina Militare.svg Italian Navy 1 July 201620 June 20192 years, 354 daysLater Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy
11Gen. D.A.Nicola Lanza de Cristoforis Coat of arms of the Italian Air Force.svg Italian Air Force 21 June 20191 September 201972 daysActing
12 Gen. C.A. i.s. Luciano Portolano Coat of arms of the Esercito Italiano.svg Italian Army 2 September 20198 October 20212 years, 36 daysOn 26 July 2021, General Portolano was promoted to Army Corps General with Special Tasks but retained the command of the newly upgraded C.O.V.I. until 8 October 2021.
13 Gen. C.A. i.s. Francesco Paolo Figliuolo Coat of arms of the Esercito Italiano.svg Italian Army 15 December 2021Incumbent2 years, 323 daysOn 15 December 2021, General Figliuolo was appointed C.O.V.I. Commander but retained the post of Extraordinary Commissioner for the COVID-19 Emergency.

Mission

The Command is the articulation through which the Chief of Defense Staff exercises the functions of Operational Commander of the Italian Armed Forces. [7]

The Command also has the function of managing and coordinating the interventions of the individual Armed Forces in the event of emergencies and natural disasters on the national territory, the task of developing the methodologies for the simulation of strategic and operational scenarios, as well as contributing to the elaboration of the military doctrine of NATO and of the other international organizations of which Italy is a part.

Organization

The COVI is a joint command, made up in every component of military personnel from the four Italian Armed Forces, as well as civilian defense personnel. However, as of 2005, the COI mainly consisted of Army personnel: [3]

The Joint Operations Command is organized as follows:

In 2001 a first Legal Unit was established, and later evolved into an Office. [7] The Legal Office of the Joint Operations Command provides legal counseling to the Commander, to the divisions of the Command and to the operational theaters, both in the legal field and in the context of the military police activities of the units present in missions and operations abroad. [1]

In particular, the Legal Office examines the legal aspects connected with joint operations and exercises, provides sectoral technical support in the planning and conduct of operations and exercises, takes care of the preparation of disciplinary and criminal directives in operational theaters. In addition, the Legal Office analyzes the legislative provisions and the acts of parliamentary inspection in its areas of competence, verifies the harmonization of the rules of engagement and operational orders, supports the Italian Defense Staff in drafting of technical agreements. [1]

With regard to the military police activities, the Legal Office handles the activities of the judicial police for investigations delegated by the Judicial Authority for events that have occurred in the national territory and in the operational theatres and collaborates with the ordinary judicial authority and with the police authorities in investigations. [1]

General Staff

The General Staff of the Joint Operations Command is in charge to oversee all operations under the purview of the Command. It is organized with three branches: [1]

The Operations Department is responsible for planning, conducting, monitoring and evaluating the all effects of all operations. The department is also responsible for Operational Planning (contingency and urgency), as well as the organization and coordination of joint, national, inter-ministerial and multinational exercises. In addition, it contributes to the General Defense Planning. Its facility includes the Joint Operation Centre. [8]

The Operational Support Department is responsible for coordinating the design, construction and maintenance of all the infrastructures in the operational theater of national interest in the joint area. The department manages the personnel assigned to the operational theatres, the logistical and health structures of the operations and the financial activities of the Contingents. The Department coordinates, controls and identifies the priorities of the movements and transport of forces to and from the operational theatres and regulates the operational aspects connected with telecommunications and IT systems. [8]

Italian Joint Forces Headquarters

The Italian Joint Force Headquarters (ITA-JFHQ) is a joint Command, set up in 2007 in order to have a joint Command and Control element able to deploy quickly outside the national territory and to be able to manage a military device articulated on the five war domains. The Command has very high operational readiness: entry into the theatre of the first elements within 24 hours after the order is given. [9]

The ITA-JFHQ is permanently activated and is led by a Brigadier General (or corresponding rank). The Command has a small staff (about 30 units) characterized by flexibility and streamlined organizational structure. [1] [9]

The Command is able to plan and conduct small scale operations operating both on land and from the sea, under the control of the Italian Chief of Defence Staff or, in the case of joint operations with the armed forces of other countries, under the control of the designated military authority. [10] It may use Joint Rapid Reaction Force assets. [9]

Among the main tasks, the ITA-JFHQ plans and conducts: [1] [9]

The Command has been used both abroad and on the Italian national territory. [10]

Subordinate commands

Since 2021, the Command controls the joint commands: [4] [6]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "INTERVISTA AL COMANDANTE DEL COMANDO OPERATIVO DI VERTICE INTERFORZE". Airholic.it (in Italian). 27 October 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  2. ↑ "DIFESA: il ventennale della costituzione del Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze". Report Difesa (in Italian). 7 December 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze" (PDF). www.difesa.it (in Italian). Ministero della Difesa. 2005. pp. 11–12, 21. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Battaglia, Marco (23 July 2021). "La Difesa entra nel multi-dominio. Ecco il nuovo comando del gen. Portolano". Formiche.net (in Italian). Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "COVI: nasce il Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze". www.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Il COI cambia nome e diventa COVI – Analisi Difesa". Analisi Difesa (in Italian). 26 July 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  7. 1 2 Arpaia, Bruno (2009). "L'Ufficio Legale del COI" (PDF). www.difesa.it (in Italian). Ministero della Difesa. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  8. 1 2 "L'Organigramma - Difesa.it". www.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Ferro, Franz (16 August 2021). "Goodbye Afghanistan: il ruolo del comando ITA-JFHQ". Difesa Online (in Italian). Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  10. 1 2 "Joint Force Headquarters Italiano (ITA-JFHQ) - Difesa.it". www.difesa.it. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
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