Rear Admiral Antonio Natale (ITA N)
Commander Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (COM SNMG2)

Rear Admiral (lower half) Antonio Natale was born in Siracusa on 12^th October 1961. After joining the Italian Naval Academy in 1980, he completed the Basic Course of Study for Staff Officers in 1984 and was commissioned as Ensign.

He graduated in “Maritime and Naval Science” at the University of Pisa and qualified in Telecommunications and Above Warfare Operations.

As a junior officer he served aboard destroyers and frigates (ITS Impavido, ITS Doria, ITS Zeffiro, ITS Audace), which included combined exercises and NATO operations such as Operation Sharp Guard, Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. His first sea command was the patrol ship, Liara.

Later, he served as Telecommunications Instructor and Commanding Officer of the training sailing ship, Stella Polare.

He was then appointed Instructor responsible for 3^rd and 4^th class cadets at the Naval Academy in Leghorn.

From 1999 to 2000 he attended the highly specialised course at the Naval War College in Leghorn and the 2^nd Advanced Course for Joint Staff at the Military College in Rome.

Commanding Officer of the frigate, Espero (2000 – 2001), in 2002 he was Naval Liaison Officer for the Coalition Joint Force Maritime in Bahrain. Then he joined the Navy General Staff where he served as Chief of Telecommunications Officer in the Development Department.

Promoted to Captain, he assumed the prestigious command of the destroyer, Durand De La Penne between 2006 and 2007 and then he joined the Defence General Staff where he served as the Chief of International Coordination Activities Office (C4I).

In 2012 Rear Admiral Natale joined the Navy General Staff where he was appointed Vice Director of the Telecommunications, Data Processing and Security Department (TEIS).

Rear Admiral Natale has been Commander of Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG2) assigned to NATO’s counter piracy mission, Operation Ocean Shield since November 2012.

 Rear Admiral Natale has been awarded with the following decorations:-

·         NATO medal for Operation Sharp Guard

·         Operation Desert Storm Meritorious Service Cross

·         Bronze Medal for long command period

·         Bronze Medal for long Sea Duty in the Italian Navy (10 years)

·         Silver Medal for honour service in the Italian Navy

·         Gold Cross for Service Seniority (25 years)

·         Meritorious Service Cross for peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan

·         Order of Merit of the Italian Republic – Knight

 

Rear Admiral Natale is married to Annamaria and they have five daughters. He has specific interests in sailing and swimming.