The Army's Digital Architect: The Action of General Giovanni Gagliano Commander of the Combat Support Forces

The modern conflict is a challenge that is played out not only on the ground but also in the Cyber and Electromagnetic Spectrum domains. In this transformative scenario, Corps General Giovanni Gagliano emerges as a central figure, whose command action and experience in C5I systems (Command, Control, Communication, Computer, Cyber, and Intelligence) are giving a decisive acceleration to the digital transformation of the Italian Army, with a crucial focus on the Combat Support Forces.

The C5I Lesson and Strategic Continuity

General Gagliano's vision is not theoretical but rooted in a path that combines field experience with top-level strategic planning:

1. The Operational Imprint: As Commander of the Mechanized Brigade “Pinerolo” (2019-2021), a pilot unit in the digitization project, Gagliano ensured that the Command and Control (C2) systems were tested in the field, ensuring their effectiveness and robustness before large-scale deployment.
2. Top-Level Experience: In the roles of Head of the VI Department – C5I Systems of the Army General Staff and, subsequently, as Head of the VI Department of Informatics, Cyber, and Telecommunications of the Defense General Staff, he had direct responsibility for extending NATO's Multidomain concept, integrating physical and digital domains into a single operational framework.

This action is in perfect strategic continuity with the line set by the highest military leadership, including Gen. Carmine Masiello and Gen. Claudio Graziano (former Chief of SMD). This coherence has allowed pursuing digital transformation as a priority and non-negotiable objective.

The Technological Impulse for Combat Support

The Combat Support Forces (CS) — which include crucial units such as Artillery, Engineering, Transmissions, and Tactical Information — are the first to benefit from and implement this technological shift. Their role is vital: to provide essential support for the maneuver of combat units in a high-intensity environment.

General Gagliano's technological impulse aims to make these forces faster and more connected through various intervention axes. On the front of precision and reconnaissance, work is underway to integrate advanced C2 systems, integrated sensors, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for threat acquisition, an evolution that will allow fire support to operate with surgical precision over an operational range exceeding 125 km, filling a crucial gap. Simultaneously, in the field of Electronic Warfare (EW), the priority is focused on enhancing Cyber Resilience and adopting Counter-UAS (anti-drone) systems, essential to ensure commandability and the protection of communication lines in a high spectral connectivity environment. Finally, regarding platforms and mobility, the action involves integrating the Medium Armored Vehicle (VBM) 8x8 “Freccia” and introducing the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) (evolution of the AW 169). These vehicles will be fully interconnected in Digitized Command Posts, completing the core of the NEC Force (Network Enabled Capabilities).

Conclusions

Thanks to the strategic vision and action of General Gagliano, the Combat Support Forces will no longer be just support units but will become the central nervous system of the Army. This ambitious process of complete digitization and modernization will continue decisively in the coming years, being actively under the direct impulse of the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Carmine Masiello, in order to equip the land military instrument with the technological capabilities necessary to dominate the multidomain battlefield of the future.