The Italian Joint Force Headquarters (ITA-JFHQ), is a high readiness, rapidly deployable and permanently activated Joint HQ, ready to deploy with short notice to crisis areas worldwide, taking over command and control over allocated land, maritime and air assets.
Founded in February 2007 to enhance the Joint and expeditionary goals envisaged in the Defence Strategic Concept, it’s composed of highly specialized personnel and it’s characterized by a lean and flexible structure, representing one of the new realities of the Italian Defense. Its constitution mirrors the initiatives undertaken by the leading NATO and European Union countries to develop similar organizations, contributing in placing Italy in the front row in the international scenario.
The ITA-JFHQ is capable of planning and conducting small scale operations, having both ground and sea-based capabilities, under the operational command of the Italian Chief of Defense or other appropriate national/other lead nation or multi-national authorities in case of combined operations. It has been employed in the occasion of the Georgian crisis in 2008, the earthquake in Abruzzo in 2009, the emergencies in Haiti in 2010, Ivory Coast and Lybia in 2011.
