Rear Admiral (UH) Placido Torresi

Rear Admiral Placido TORRESI is native of Bari (Jan 13 1968). He graduated from the Italian Naval Academy in 1990, with the rank of Ensign.

From 1990 to 1992 he attended the US NAVY flight schools in Pensacola (Florida) and Corpus Christi (Texas), where he got his wings as naval aviator for aircraft (December 1991) and helicopters (July 1992).

Back to Italy, he served as Air Operations Officer of the 1st Helicopter Squadron in NAS Luni and afterwards he reported on board the ITN Aircraft Carrier ITS GARIBALDI as Air Operations and Training Officer.

From September 1998 to September 1999 he was appointed Commanding Officer of the Patrolling Vessel ITS SPICA, mostly engaged in Fisheries Patrol Operations in the Mediterranean Sea.

His first tour as Staff Officer was at the “Studies and New Programmes” Office at the Naval Aviation Department of the Italian Navy General Staff in Rome (Sept. 1999 – Dec 2002), where he became the NH-90 Helicopter Project Manager.

At the end of this tour, he served in France at the NAHEMA NATO Agency for the management of the NH-90 Helicopter programme, being responsible, from 2003 until 2005, of the “Mission system and Weaponry” section. In July 2004 he was promoted to the rank of Commander.

During his second staff assignment at the Naval Aviation Department of the Italian Navy General Staff in Rome (Jan. 2006 – Jul. 2007), he was appointed as project manager for the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) programme and, from August 2006 to February 2007, he attended the 109th Senior Course of the NATO Defense College in Rome.

From July 2007 to September 2008 he served as Commanding Officer of the Anti-Submarine Frigate ITS ZEFFIRO.

From September 2008 to October 2012, he reported again to the Naval Aviation Department of the Italian Navy General Staff in Rome to become Chief of the “Studies and New Programmes” Office. Later, from October 2012 to September 2013, he was appointed Deputy Chief of the Naval Aviation Department of the Italian Navy General Staff. From October 2013 to July 2015 he reported on board the aircraft Carrier ITS GARIBALDI as Commanding Officer and between July 2015 and June 2016 he served as Commanding Officer of NAS Grottaglie (MARISTAER).

From June 2016 to September 2017, he served as Commander of the Italian Navy First Naval Division (COMDINAV UNO) in La Spezia Naval Base and promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral as of 01 July 2016.

He was appointed Task Group 425 Commander for the single service national operation “MARE SICURO”, from September to October 2016 and, again, from June to August 2017.

From October 2017 to July 2021, he became the Chief of the Italian Naval Aviation, serving as Director of the Naval Aviation Department (Italian Navy General Staff) and Commander of the Italian Fleet Air Arm.

From September 2021 to September 2022 he served as commander of MIASIT, the Italian assistance and support mission in Libya before he was appointed as Deputy Chief of Staff Multi-Domain Force Development Directorate at NATO Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia (USA).

Rear Admiral TORRESI has a bachelor degree in “Maritime and Naval Sciences” from Pisa University.

During his career, he flew about 1600 flight hours onboard T-34 and T-44 aircrafts and TH-57, SH-3D, AB-212, SH-90A and MH-90A helicopters, with 338 successful deck landings, of which 130 at night.

Rear Admiral TORRESI is married and he has two sons.