Colonel Gustavo Cicconardi graduated from ‘Nunziatella’ Military School and joined the Air Force Academy in 1982 where he obtained a degree in Aeronautical Science and a commission in the Italian Air Force. He began his flying career as an AM-X fighter pilot and finished as an AB 212 SAR Pilot, amassing over 3.300 flying hours. He took part in various peacekeeping air operations in the Balkans, as well as combat operations in Kosovo in 1999. From 1999 to 2001, he served as the Commander of the 13th Squadron. Furthermore, he fulfilled the task of Chief – J3 Air at NATO HQ KFOR in Pristina between 2005 and 2006. From 2008 to 2010, he was the commander of the Air Weapons Training Installation at Decimomannu AFB, Italy. Colonel Cicconardi currently works as the Branch Head of the Air Operations Support Branch at the Joint Air Power Competence Centre in Kalkar, Germany, and as Chairman of the NATO AAR Working Group, improving NATO’s AAR Interoperability.