Commander (Navy) Francesco Procaccini

Head of International Cooperation Board Plans & Policy Department Italian Navy General Staff 

 

Captain Francesco PROCACCINI was born in Camerino (Macerata) on the 7th of March 1970. He is a line officergraduate of the Italian Naval Academy in Livorno, class of 1993.In 1993, as a young officer, he attended the Naval Training Centre in Taranto, graduating as “Artillery Officer”. Upon completion, he embarked on board the Destroyer MIMBELLI as “Missile Officer”.In 1995, he was assigned to the Italian Naval Academy in Livorno as the Cadets’ Trainer. In 1997, upon graduation at the Naval Postgraduate School in Livorno, he was promoted to Lieutenant and returned to sea on board the Cruiser VITTORIO VENETO where he spent 4 years; two of which as the Weapons Department Head. In 2002, he attended the Naval Command School and, upon graduation, assumed command of the corvette SPICA based in Augusta - Sicily. From 2003 to 2005 he embarked on board the Destroyer FRANCESCO MIMBELLI as “Operations Department Head” and during this period he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. In 2005 he graduated from the Navy War College in Venice. In 2005 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. After this year long deployment abroad, he served as a Staff Officer at the Italian Navy General Staff in Rome, working for the Above Water Warfare System Requirement Department. During this assignment, he was the subject matter expert on Italian projects concerning guided ammunitions and he was designated as national representative to the NATO Maritime Capability Group 1. Promoted to Commander, in 2008, he attended the NATO Defence College in Rome (Senior Course 112), graduating in the top ten. Upon completion, he was nominated as Military Assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe at SHAPE (Belgium), were he served until 2011. From August 2011 to August 2012 he commanded the Frigate GRECALE with which he was deployed in the Indian Ocean for more than six months under NATO flag, conducting the operation OCEAN SHIELD. 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. From August 2012 he has been appointed as the Head of International Cooperation Board at the Italian Navy General Staff and promoted to Captain. He has university degrees in Maritime and Naval Sciences, Computer & Information Science, and Political Science.