Vice Admiral Aurelio De Carolis, Commander in Chief of the Italian Fleet

Graduated from the Italian Naval Academy in 1986, he served for 15 years as Surface Warfare Officer on board cruisers and frigates, conducting activities within NATO, European and Coalition contexts, in the Mediterranean, Red Sea, Gulf and Indian Ocean.

His command tours include the offshore patrol vessel SPICA (1994-1995), the frigate ESPERO (2003-2004) and the aircraft carrier CAVOUR (2010-2011).

His major ashore assignments were as Executive Assistant to the Chief of the Italian Navy (2008-2010), Military Assistant and Naval Aide to the President of the Italian Republic (2011-2013), Chief Communications Officer to the Italian Chief of Defence (2014-2016), Head of Plans, Operations and Maritime Strategy at the Italian Navy General Staff, dual hatted as Head of the Amphibious Department and Commander of the Amphibious Force (2016-2017).

From November 2017 till September 2019 he was the Commander of the 2nd Naval Division – the national Carrier Battle Group –, dual hatted as Commander of the Italian Maritime Force (COMITMARFOR) within the NATO Force Structure. In such a position, he successfully led his command through the certification process as the Maritime Component Commander for the NATO Response Force 2019 and performed three sea-going tours as Force Commander of the national maritime security operation MARE SICURO in the Central Mediterranean area.

From 11 October 2019 till 15 December 2021, he took over the appointment at the Navy Headquarters in Rome as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy.

On the 16th of December 2021 he was appointed to his current position of Commander in Chief of the Italian Fleet.

Since the 26^th of September 2023 he is in Command of the European Maritime Force (EUROMARFOR).

Promoted Vice Admiral on 1 January 2020, he holds a Masters degree in Physics, from the University of Rome, a BS in Maritime and Naval Sciences from the University of Pisa, an MBA from the London Business School (class of 2000) and was exchange student at MIT, Harvard Business School and JFK School of Government.

For his professional preparation, he attended the Italian Naval War College, the Joint Defence Studies College in Rome – where he earned a Master degree in International Studies –, the Combined Force Maritime Component Commander Flag Course, at the U.S. Naval Forces Headquarters in Naples, the 2018 edition of the NATO course STEADFAST PINNACLE, focused on strategic planning for leaders, and a series of courses in the fields of communication, public information and international relationships.

Fellow of the Italian Institute of Navigation, the US Naval Institute and the Italian Group of the International Society For Military Law, he is also member of the International Leadership Association and Honorary Advisor to “Life”, a non-profit organization engaged in the promotion of sailing among pupils from disadvantaged families.