Keynote Speaker - Claudio Gabellini

KEYNOTE

Claudio Gabellini

Italian Air Force

The increasing reliance on space-based services has made Space Situational Awareness (SSA) an indispensable component of modern society. From global communications and precision navigation to defense and economic activities, space assets play a vital role in ensuring stability and progress. However, the rapid expansion of space operations, the growing number of state and private actors, and the rising risks—both natural and intentional—have transformed space from an open frontier into a highly contested and congested domain.

This presentation will explore the evolution of space as a warfighting domain, driven by military, economic, and technological competition. The unchecked proliferation of space objects, coupled with growing threats such as orbital congestion, space debris, satellite collisions, and the development of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons, underscores the urgent need for effective SSA capabilities. Beyond safeguarding critical infrastructure, SSA serves as a cornerstone for space security, economic sustainability, and the safe operation of commercial and government assets in orbit.

A key focus of this discussion will be the current state of SSA capabilities, highlighting Italy’s capability through its active C-SSA center at Poggio Renatico Air Base. While this facility provides crucial support to national and allied space operations however, gaps in international cooperation and the absence of a comprehensive legal framework still pose significant challenges.

The role of emerging technologies in enhancing SSA will also be addressed, including the increased needfor artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and global sensor networks. These innovations enable improved tracking, prediction accuracy, and orbital servicing, as well as active debris removal and enhanced protection of space assets. By harnessing these capabilities, the global space community can move toward a more resilient and secure orbital environment.

As we navigate the complexities of this rapidly evolving domain, SSA will not only be essential for mitigating threats and ensuring operational stability but also for shaping a sustainable future in space. Protecting our present capabilities is the key to enabling new opportunities and securing the next era of human activities beyond Earth.

Lieutenant General Claudio Gabellini is a retired senior officer of the Italian Air Force. After earning his pilot wings on the G.91T jet, he began his career as an instructor on the MB339A trainer, later serving as an operational pilot on the F-104 Starfighter and PA200 Tornado IDS. He held command positions at all levels, including Squadron and Wing Commander, Director of Operations, and Chief of Staff at the Air Force Command in Rome. He was the first Italian officer to serve as Chief of Staff at NATO's Allied Air Command in Ramstein, Germany.
From 2019 to 2024, he commanded the Italian Air and Space Operations Command, responsible for protecting Italian national airspace and for all operational activities of the Italian Air Force worldwide among which, operation “Aquila Omnia”, the successful evacuation of Afghan civilians from Kabul in 2021, and G7 meeting in Borgo Egnazia in 2024, are worth to be mentioned.
Lt. Gen. Gabellini took part in numerous military operations, including those in the Balkans and Libya. Notably, during the 2011 Libya campaign, he served aboard the USS Mount Whitney under Operation Odyssey Dawn, and later as Chief of Targeting at the Combined Joint Task Force – Unified Protector in Naples. With over 2,700 flight hours mainly on fast jets (MB339, G.91T, F-104, Tornado IDS/ECR), he is now actively engaged in academic and strategic consulting, focusing on modern Command and Control, the legal aspects of the use of deadly force, and the role of airpower in contemporary conflicts.