Force Commander REAR ADMIRAL (LH)ARMANDO PAOLO SIMI
Rear Admiral Armando Paolo Simi was born in Foggia, june the 29th, 1970.
From 1989 to 1993 he attended the Naval Academy of Livorno. At the completion of the Normal Course he was in the United States to attend the U.S. Navy Flight School.
In 1995 he was designated as Naval Aviator from the U.S. Navy.
By the end of the same year he was assigned to the 2nd Helicopter Squadron where he achieved the operational qualifications on helicopter AB-212.
From 1996 to 1998 he was appointed as a Flight Ops Officer on the destroyer ITS Mimbelli, then from 1998 to 2000 he took part at the operation “Allied Force” and “DINAK” during the crisis in Kosovo as Chief of flight operations on the frigate ITS Perseo.
From July 2000 to February 2001 he was appointed as Chief of flight operations on the frigate ITS Espero.
From February 2001 to 2002, while assigned to the 4th Helicopter Squadron at Naval Air Station in Grottaglie (TA), he sailed multiple time on board of Italian Navy Fleet as Helicopter Section Commander.
During this period, he also completed the flight training on the helicopter EH-101 in Somma Lombardo (VA) and also at the 1st Helicopter Squadron at Naval Air Station in Luni (SP).
From October 2002 to October 2003, as Lieutenant, he was the Commander of the minehunter ITS Vieste at the Italian Countermines Warfare Command in La Spezia.
From 2003 to 2010 he was appointed as Chief of Statistics Section, ASW/ASUW Division Officer, Operations Officer, and Executive Officer of 1st the Helicopter Squadron.
In 2006 he took part at the operation “Leonte 06” on the amphibious ITS San Marco and Aircraft-Carrier ITS Garibaldi. In the 2009 he took part also at the “Grande Evento G8” in L’Aquila. In the last part of 2010, he participated in ISAF Operation, in Herat – Afghanistan, West regional Command, as Commander of Air Task Group Shark, inside the Joint Air Task Force. From the 30th of July 2011 to July 2012 he was appointed as Commanding Officer of the frigate ITS Libeccio and right after he was assigned as head of Flight Support Office at the Navy General Staff on Rome. In September 2017 he was appointed as Commanding Officer of the Destroyer Luigi Durand De La Penne. From October 2019 till August 2020 he was appointed Vice chief of Flight Department at the Navy General Staff. In that period, from July 2019 to December 2019, he was selected as Tactical Commander of EU Operation ATALANTA, CTF 465, in Indian Ocean, onboard the frigate ITS Marceglia. From September 2020, he has been appointed as Defence Attaché at the Embassy of Italy in Singapore. Currently, he is appointed as Force Commander of EUNAVFORMED IRINI, CTF 464, in the central Mediterranean Sea.
Captain Simi flew for an amount of 2900 flight hours, he graduated in “Maritime and Naval Sciences” in the University of Pisa, he attended the Junior staff officer course at Military Maritime Studies institute in Venice and the 118th Senior Course at the NATO Defence College in Rome.
He’s qualified on helicopters AB-212 and EH-101 as flight instructor.
Captain Simi’s awards and decorations include:
- “Mauriziana“ Medal for long meritorious military service
- Gold cross for service seniority
- Long Air Navigation Medal
- Gold cross for flight service seniority
- Long Command Medal
- Long Navigation Medal
- Commemorative Cross for Operation in Kosovo
- NATO Medal-Kosovo
- Commemorative medal for Operation UNIFIL
- Non article 5 NATO medal for service in relation to the ISAF operation
- Commemorative Cross for National Operation in Afghanistan
- Commemorative Medal for European Union Mission ATALANTA
- Civil Protection Medal
- Decoration of Merit for service in the Navy General Staff
- Gold traditional emblem for Air Personnel
He’s married to Marirosa and has two daughters.
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