Head of ICT Department, Italian Defense General Staff, Italy
Rear Admiral Francesco PROCACCINI was born in Camerino (Macerata) on the 7th of March 1970. He is a line officer graduate of the Italian Naval Academy in Livorno, class of 1993. Upon completion of the Academy, he embarked on board the Destroyer MIMBELLI. In 1997, upon graduation at the Naval Postgraduate School in Livorno, he was returned to sea on board the Cruiser VITTORIO VENETO where he spent 4 years; two of which as the Weapons Department Head. Between 2002 and 2005, he attended the Naval Command School and, upon graduation, assumed Command of the patrol ship SPICA based in Augusta – Sicily. Subsequently he embarked on board the Destroyer FRANCESCO MIMBELLI as “Operations Department Head”. In 2005, after graduating from the Navy War College in Venice, he was deployed to the Multinational Force & Observers in SINAI (Headquarter in El Gorah – North Sinai - Egypt) with duties of Vice-Commandant of the Italian Contingent and Naval Advisor to the Force Commander. In 2008 he attended the NATO Defence College in Rome, at the end of wich, he was nominated as Military Assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe at SHAPE (Belgium), were he served until 2011. From 2011 to 2012 he commanded the Frigate GRECALE during the operation OCEAN SHIELD. In 2014 he was promoted to Captain and he led the International Cooperation Board at the Italian Navy General Staff. From 2015 to 2017 he Commanded the Naval Station of Brindisi and the Destroyer Andrea DORIA. From August 2017 to October 2022 he led the International Relations Office at the Italian Defence General Staff and was appointed at the Italian Military Representative of the EU Military Committee. From October to December 2022, he led the General Office of Space and Technology Innovation, successively incorporated into the C4 and Security Department of the Italian Navy General Staff, of which he has been the Chief until January 2024 when they have been split up. On the 1st of January 2024 he was promoted to Rear Admiral (UH). From January 2024, he is the Chief of C4 and Security Department of the Italian Navy General Staff. From 16 October he has been Chief of the VI Department of the Defense General Staff. He was promoted to Rear Admiral on January 1, 2024. During his career in the Italian Naval Fleet he took part to the following operations: NATO SHARP GUARD, WEU Ex JUGOSLAVIA, M.F.O Sinai, MARE SICURO, and OCEAN SHIELD. He has four university degrees in Maritime and Naval Sciences, Computer & Information Science, Political Science & International Relations and Defence & Security Science. He is married with Maria Elena and has a son Edoardo.
