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Joint Special Forces Operations Headquarters (Italy)

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Joint Special Forces Operations Headquarters
Comando interforze per le Operazioni delle Forze Speciali
Active1 December 2004
Country Italy
RoleSpecial operations
Part ofJoint Operations Command
Garrison/HQCentocelle Airport, Rome, Italy
Motto(s)Etiamsi omnes, ego non
Commanders
Current
commander
Amm. Squ. Paolo Pezzutti[1]
Notable
commanders
Marco Bertolini, Donato Marzano, Giuseppe Cavo Dragone

The Joint Special Forces Operations Headquarters (Italian: Comando interforze per le operazioni delle forze speciali, COFS) is the joint command of the Italian Armed Forces charged with overseeing the various special operations units of the Italian Armed Forces. The command is part of the Joint Operations Command and is validated as NATO Component Command.[2] COFS is headquartered at Centocelle Airport in Rome, Italy.

Mission

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At the national level, COFS is the Command specifically designated in charge of planning, organizing and conducting Special Operations,[3] which include special reconnaissance, direct actions and military assistance.[4]

The COFS commander is also an advisor to the Chief of Defence in all aspects concerning Special Operations. He also assists the political-military leaders in operational decisions and deals with the procurement of materials to be adopted by the special operations forces, on the basis of specific needs expressed by the units themselves.[3]

History

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The Joint Forces Command for Operations of the Special Forces was established on 1 December 2004 under the direct control of the Chief of the Defence Staff.

COFS, initially, had the objective of coordinating the missions of the two defence special forces departments: the 9th Paratroopers Assault Regiment "Col Moschin", and GOI of the COMSUBIN. In 2005 the GIS and the 17th Raiders Wing were made available to COFS for possible use.[3]

In 2006 the new command launched Operation "Sarissa", which involved the deployment and use of Task Force 45 in Afghanistan.[3]

In 2008, after a validation process, the Command was certified by NATO as a Component Command for Special Operations within the framework of the NATO Response Force.

In 2021, COFS was moved under the renewed Joint Operations Command.[5]

List of commanders

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As of 2022, COFS has had seven commanders.[6]

No. Commander Term Service branch
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
1
Marco Bertolini
Bertolini, MarcoGen. Div.
Marco Bertolini
(born 1953)
1 December 200425 September 20083 years, 299 days
Italian Army
2
Donato Marzano
Marzano, DonatoAmm. Div.
Donato Marzano
(born 1956)
26 September 20089 October 20113 years, 13 days
Italian Navy
3
Maurizio Fioravanti
Fioravanti, MaurizioGen. Div.
Maurizio Fioravanti
(born 1956)
10 October 20112 November 20143 years, 23 days
Italian Army
4
Giuseppe Cavo Dragone
Dragone, Giuseppe CavoAmm. Squ.
Giuseppe Cavo Dragone
(born 1957)
3 November 201426 June 20161 year, 236 days
Italian Navy
5
Nicola Zanelli
Zanelli, NicolaGen. Div.
Nicola Zanelli
(born 1963)
27 June 201623 October 20193 years, 118 days
Italian Army
6
Nicola Lanza de Cristoforis
Lanza de Cristoforis, NicolaGen. S.A.
Nicola Lanza de Cristoforis
(born 1963)
24 October 201919 January 20222 years, 87 days
Italian Air Force
7
Paolo Pezzutti
Pezzutti, PaoloAmm. Squ.
Paolo Pezzutti
(born 1963)
20 January 2022Incumbent2 years, 287 days
Italian Navy

Organization

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The Joint Operational Command of the Special Forces is an Operational Command that has a hierarchical structure consisting of the Commander (COMCOFS), the Deputy Commander (DCOMCOFS) and the Chief of Staff (COS). COFS represents the staff body available to the Joint Forces Operations Command on the subject of special operations and reports directly to the latter's Commander.[7]

Subordinate units

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The command is responsible for the operations conducted by Tier-1 special forces units:[2][8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "L'ammiraglio Paolo Pezzutti assume la guida del COFS – Analisi Difesa" (in Italian). Stato Maggiore della Difesa. 22 January 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b Angioni; Silvestri (3 February 2017). Forze Speciali Italiane FS-Tier 1 (in Italian). Edizioni R.E.I. p. 14. ISBN 9782372973182. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Ciocchetti, Tiziano (22 September 2021). "COFS: forze speciali e… forse speciali". Difesa Online (in Italian). Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  4. ^ "NATO – Brilliant Jump 2022 | Italian Special Operations Component Command". shape.nato.int. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  5. ^ Ludovico, Marco (27 July 2021). "Un super comando operativo, rivoluzione alla Difesa". Il Sole 24 ORE (in Italian). Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  6. ^ "I Comandanti del COFS – Difesa.it". www.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  7. ^ "INTERVISTA AL COMANDANTE DEL COFS GENERALE S.A. NICOLA LANZA DE CRISTOFORIS". Airholic.it (in Italian). 5 April 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Le Unità di Forze Speciali – Difesa.it". www.difesa.it (in Italian). Retrieved 25 March 2022.