Polaris Intelligence
Polaris
Intelligence
AboutNational IntelligenceOrganizationsProductsMissionsSpacecraftConstellationsForecastsLatest Information
Explore
© Polaris Intelligence 2026Admin

Italian Air Force

IT
gov defense
Italy
www.aeronautica.difesa.it/
Admin Edit

All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.

Colonel Walter Villadei is a professional astronaut of the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana) and serves as an Ambassador for BEX.

Mentioned as: italian air forceNarrative GeneralMar 10, 2026Dati satellitari: BEX porta a Rimini l’economia dello spazio

Maurizio Cheli became an astronaut with the European Space Agency after a career as a pilot and test pilot in the Italian Air Force.

Mentioned as: italian air forceNarrative GeneralFeb 11, 2026Missione STS-75, Cheli e Guidoni ricordano il volo del 1996

The Italian Air Force selected the M-346 as the future aircraft for the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic demonstration team.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceOrg RelationshipFeb 4, 2026Leonardo firma una LOI per l’M-346 destinato alla forza aerea indonesiana

General Maurizio Cantiello leads the personnel department of the Italian Air Force.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceNarrative GeneralDec 15, 2025Giornata Nazionale dello Spazio 2025: Futuri Probabili si confronta sulla governance

Lieutenant Colonel Massimiliano Pietrantuono from the Italian Air Force presented the new Competition Announcement for the Aeronautical Academy aimed at final-year high school students.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceNarrative GeneralDec 12, 2025A NSE Expoforum 2025 l’Europa dello spazio punta sulle nuove generazioni

Walter Villadei is an astronaut and colonel in the Italian Air Force.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceNarrative GeneralDec 5, 2025Intervento di Walter Villadei al 3° Forum Space&Blue 2025 al Mimit

During mission Ax-3, the Italian Air Force collaborated with ASI, Marina Militare, and the University of Florence on an experiment comparing the physiological effects on astronauts and submariners.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceOrg RelationshipDec 1, 2025Walter Villadei al 3° Forum Space&Blue: spazio e oceani sono domini gemelli

General Silvano Frigerio is the Commander of the Air Squadron of the Italian Air Force.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceNarrative GeneralNov 28, 2025Intervista al Gen. S.A. Silvano Frigerio al 3° Forum Space&Blue 2025 al Mimit

The Italian Air Force collaborated with the Italian Navy and University of Florence on an ASI experiment during the Ax-3 mission.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceOrg RelationshipNov 20, 2025Space&Blue: Difesa e Forze Armate unite per un obiettivo strategico

The Ax-3 pilot is Walter Villadei, an Italian Air Force officer who trained as the backup pilot for Ax-2 and flew on Virgin Galactic’s first commercial VSS Unity suborbital flight in June 2023.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceNarrative GeneralJan 18, 2024SpaceX launches third Axiom mission to ISS

The Italian Air Force celebrated its centennial anniversary on 2023-03-28.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceTechnical ProductJan 17, 2024UPDATE: SpaceX scrubs Axiom’s launch of first all European commercial astronauts to ISS

The Italian Air Force celebrated its centennial anniversary on 2023-03-28.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceTechnical ProductJan 16, 2024Axiom on Wednesday to send first all European commercial astronauts to ISS

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. delivered a new MQ-9A Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft to the Italian Air Force as part of a Mid-Life Modernization update.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceOrg RelationshipDec 7, 2023Italian Air Force flies new MQ-9A Block 5 RPA from GA-ASI

On 2023-11-09 the Italian Air Force conducted the first flight of a new MQ-9A Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceOrg RelationshipDec 7, 2023Italian Air Force flies new MQ-9A Block 5 RPA from GA-ASI

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. delivered a new Mobile Ground Control Station to the Italian Air Force as part of the Mid-Life Modernization update.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceOrg RelationshipDec 7, 2023Italian Air Force flies new MQ-9A Block 5 RPA from GA-ASI

The Italian Air Force operates MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft to support Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance missions in Italy, over the Mediterranean, and in support of NATO operations.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceOrg RelationshipDec 7, 2023Italian Air Force flies new MQ-9A Block 5 RPA from GA-ASI

The Italian portfolio on Ax-3 includes experiments led by the Italian Air Force (ItAF) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) involving Italian universities, research centers, and companies.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceTechnical ProductOct 19, 2023Axiom Mission 3 Aims to Expand Government-Funded Research in Low-Earth Orbit

Walter Villadei will serve as pilot of Ax-3 and is an Italian Air Force colonel who trained as a backup for the Ax-2 mission.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceNarrative PlanSep 13, 2023Axiom Space names crew for third private astronaut mission to ISS

Walter Villadei, an Italian Air Force pilot, flew on Virgin Galactic’s first commercial suborbital flight on 2023-06-29 and trained with Axiom Space while serving as a backup on the Ax-2 mission to the International Space Station in May.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceNarrative GeneralJul 7, 2023Interest grows for human spaceflight in Europe

Virgin Galactic performed the June 29 flight for the Italian Air Force under a contract signed in October 2019.

Mentioned as: Italian Air ForceOrg RelationshipJul 3, 2023Regulating a maturing commercial spaceflight industry
Page1of3