Vice Admiral Luigi BINELLI MANTELLI was born in Breno (Brescia, Lombardy) on 4 December 1950.

He attended the Italian Naval School “Morosini” in Venice and then the Italian Naval Academy in Leghorn from 1969 to 1973. He graduated in Maritime and Naval Sciences.

Upon graduation, he reported to the destroyer ITS AUDACE (1973-74), where he started his embarkation period.

Following this assignment, he was posted to the destroyer ITS ARDITO (1974-76). His next sea tour was onboard the frigate ITS CARABINIERE where he was appointed as Principle Warfare Officer (PWO) (1978-80), and then onboard the cruiser ITS VITTORIO VENETO (1984-86) with the same duty.

He was appointed Commanding Officer of the minesweeper ITS PLATANO (1980-81), the corvette ITS ALBATROS (1981-82), the frigate ITS GRECALE (1989-90), the aircraft carrier ITS GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI (1994-96), taking part, particularly, in Operation UNITED SHIELD in Somalia in 1995.

From October 1999 to October 2001 he served as the first Commander of the newly-designed Italian Naval Group (COMGRUPNAVIT) and, from 30 October 2000, as Commander of the Spanish Italian Amphibious Force (COMSIAF).

Ashore he served in a variety of roles both in the operational as well as in the educational fields. In the former he was appointed as Chief of Operations Division of the Italian Fleet Commander-in-Chief and as Head of the Operations Branch of the Navy General Staff. In the latter he was appointed as Commandant of Midshipmen and Ensigns classes of the Naval Academy and as Chief of the Inspectorate of the Educational Establishments.

Between 1997 and 1999, he assumed the role of Head of the General and Financial Planning Division of the Italian Navy General Staff. From 2001 to 2004, he served as Chief of Plans and Operations Department of Italian Navy General Staff. From 10 March 2004 to 18 April 2007, he was Chief of the General Office of the Italian Chief of Defence (Admiral DI PAOLA). From 30 April 2007 to 20 April 2009, he served as Deputy Chief of the Italian Navy.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Fleet (CINCNAV), from 29 April 2009 to 22 February 2012, he led the Italian maritime component in a number of operations: the humanitarian operation for the earthquake-stricken Haitian population; NATO- and EU-led anti-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean; Italian and NATO-led operations in the aftermath of the Libyan crisis.

In addition to specialization courses, he attended the “Advanced General Staff Course” at the Naval War College in Leghorn (1986-87); he also attended the “48th Session of the Advanced Defense Studies Institute” at the Advanced Defense Studies Centre in Rome (1996-97) and the “General and Flag Officers Course” at the NATO Defense College (2002).

He was promoted to Rear Admiral Lower Half (one star) on 1 July 1998; Rear Admiral Upper Half (two stars) on 1 July 2002; Vice Admiral (three stars) on 1 July 2007.

On 2 March 2012, he was appointed Chief of Italian Navy.

Admiral BINELLI MANTELLI has been awarded with the following decorations:

• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic;
• Mauritian Medal for his distinguished 50-year military service;
• Gold Medal for his long command period;
• Silver Medal for his “long service at sea in the Italian Navy” (15-years);
• Gold Cross with star for his 40-year long naval service seniority;
• Commemorative Cross in recognition of his meritorious service within  operations in Somalia;
• Ribbon for long service in the Italian Defence General Staff;
• Ribbon for long service in the Italian Navy General Staff.