Italo Giacomo SPINI
Colonel Italo Giacomo Spini is an Italian Army Alpini officer with extensive command, operational and multinational experience, developed through more than two decades of service in mountain units, operational headquarters and NATO, EU and UN environments.
He currently serves as Deputy Director and Chief of Staff of the NATO Mountain Warfare Centre of Excellence, where he contributes to the development of NATO Mountain Warfare doctrine, education and training, experimentation and capability development. His current work has a particular focus on the adaptation of mountain forces to contemporary warfare, including unmanned systems, emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, interoperability and the integration of new capabilities into demanding mountainous and austere operational environments.
His professional background combines operational command, multinational staff experience, strategic-level planning and direct involvement in international military operations across Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa.
Military Assistant to the Mission Commander in Mogadishu, working closely with senior Somali defence leadership and supporting high-level engagement between the Mission, Somali authorities and European Union structures.
Served in the multinational UN environment, including assignment to the Mission Commander's Special Staff. Responsibilities included international engagement and coordination involving the Mission's contributing nations, diplomatic representatives and senior political and military authorities.
Chief of the Planning Cell within the Italian Contingent in Kabul, responsible for operational planning, emergency and evacuation planning and the coordination of training activities with Afghan security forces.
Served during two operational deployments, first as a platoon commander and subsequently as an operational company commander. His responsibilities included force protection, patrolling and the planning and conduct of operations on the ground.
Deployed as an Alpini platoon commander, conducting operational activities and contributing to the protection of sensitive locations, including responsibility for the security of a border crossing between Kosovo and Albania.
Colonel Spini has held command appointments throughout his career within the Italian Army's Alpini, from platoon and company command to command of the “Morbegno” Alpini Battalion and subsequently the 6th Alpini Regiment.
His command experience includes the leadership of mountain troops in training and operational environments as well as the employment of military forces in support of civilian authorities during major emergencies in Italy.
At multinational level, he served at the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Italy, where he was responsible for Ceremonial and External Relations and worked in an international headquarters environment involving senior political and military authorities from across the Alliance.
He has also served within the Italian Joint Operations Headquarters as Head of National Operational Plans and Rules of Engagement, contributing to the planning of Italian military operations worldwide and coordinating with national defence staffs, governmental institutions and other relevant authorities.
Colonel Spini is a graduate of the Italian Army Staff Course and holds advanced academic qualifications in Strategic Sciences and International Strategic-Military Studies, including studies conducted at the University of Turin, Roma Tre University and the Italian Centre for Higher Defence Studies.
He also holds a degree in Political and Economic Sciences, providing an academic background that complements his operational, strategic and multinational military experience.
The session examines the rapidly evolving role of unmanned systems in mountain operations, connecting recent operational experience with tactical employment, operator training, counter-UAS solutions and the development of future NATO Mountain Warfare education and training activities.