Defense is Not an Exercise in Style: Gen. Iannucci Explains the National Security Doctrine

ROME – Not mere representation missions, but pillars of Italy's economic and strategic survival. General Giovanni Maria Iannucci, commander of COVI, sets the course: “Security is defended long before the crisis reaches our borders”. In an increasingly fluid and fragmented global geopolitical context, the role of the Italian Armed Forces is called to a paradigm shift: from actors of stability to active guarantors of the resilience of the Country System. Clarifying this is General of the Army Corps Giovanni Maria Iannucci, commander of the Joint Operational Command (COVI), who in a recent analysis reiterated that foreign missions are not a “prestige exercise”, but the fundamental tool through which Italy protects its vital interests.

Beyond Borders: Defending Our Economy

The concept of national security has crossed the traditional threshold of geographical borders. Today, protecting Italy means protecting trade routes, logistics chains, and energy supply. General Iannucci is categorical: with 80% of the world's goods traveling by sea, freedom of navigation in critical choke points – such as the Suez Canal, Bab el-Mandeb, and the Strait of Hormuz – is the true engine of our productive capacity.

It is in this perspective that Italy's posture in the Middle East should be read, where the pre-positioning of assets like minehunters in Djibouti (within the framework of operation Aspides) is not a tactical maneuver, but a strategic necessity. “The military cannot afford to be caught unprepared”, emphasizes Iannucci, confirming that Italy possesses the operational capabilities to intervene in complex scenarios of clearance and securing.

The Southern Flank: An Indivisible Priority

The commander of COVI decisively rejects the false dichotomy between the defense of the Eastern Flank and that of the Southern Flank of the Atlantic Alliance. The turbulence crossing the wider Mediterranean, the Sahel, and the Horn of Africa are not local crises, but multidimensional threats that fuel terrorism, crime, and uncontrolled migration flows.

“Stabilizing the African continent means preventing crises that could become unmanageable not only for us but for the entire Alliance”, explains the General, reiterating that the two fronts are, in fact, complementary.

The Lesson of Ukraine and the Future of Conflict

Looking at the Ukrainian conflict, Iannucci outlines a radical transformation of the battlefield: the “blitzkrieg” belongs to the past. The future belongs to an unprecedented technological integration between artificial intelligence, drones, and regeneration capabilities.

The challenge for modern Armed Forces is no longer just the projection of power, but resilience:

• Industrial resilience: Ability to sustain high ammunition consumption.
• Advanced technology: Constant integration of unmanned systems and precision sensors.
• Rapidity: An adaptability that must be prepared, observes Iannucci, “for the worst-case scenario that can manifest”.

In a world where threats multiply in the cyber domain, in space, and along energy backbones, General Iannucci's message is a clear warning for the future: national security is built today, with foresight and operational capability, well beyond our borders.