Solbiate Olona (VA), 12 September 2025. Today, at the “Ugo Mara” barracks in Solbiate Olona (VA), the ceremony marking the change of command of NATO Rapid Deployable Corps – Italy (NRDC-ITA) took place.
Lieutenant General Lorenzo D’Addario formally handed over command of the multinational headquarters to Lieutenant General Gianluca Carai. General D’Addario is now set to assume command of the Italian Army’s Land Operational Forces, stationed in Verona. General Carai takes over after completing his assignment at the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC), the UK-led multinational headquarters based in the United Kingdom.
The ceremony, accompanied by the music of the “Folgore” Paratroopers Brigade band, was attended by the Chief of Defence, General Luciano Portolano, and the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army, Lieutenant General Carmine Masiello, along with numerous military and civilian authorities. Among them were the NATO Land Command (LANDCOM) Commander, General Christopher Donahue (USA), and the Prefect of Varese, Dr. Rosario Pasquariello and many diplomatic representatives of Allied nations contributing to NRDC-ITA, as well as presidents of veterans’ and service associations.
In his address, General D’Addario underlined that this handover marks the conclusion of an intense and rewarding three-year period: “It has been a demanding and eventful time, during which the Corps successfully accomplished every mission through the crucial support of the Components and, as of 1 July 2024, assumed the significant role of NATO’s Allied Reaction Force (ARF).”
The ARF is a high-readiness, strategically directed force, capable of operating in multi-domain environments and deploying at extremely short notice. It is composed of scalable force packages designed to reinforce deterrence both in peacetime and in crisis.
The Chief of Defence General Portolano emphasized that since its establishment in 2001, NRDC-ITA has undergone constant evolution, transforming into a high-readiness headquarters capable of rapidly deploy command and control of NATO forces in operations within or beyond Allied territory—whether for collective defence or in pursuit of the Alliance’s, the EU’s, or coalition security objectives.
The Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Masiello, remarked: “In the current strategic environment, the status of Allied Reaction Force—marked by professionalism, leadership, and operational cohesion—is a strategic necessity. Readiness and interoperability are not optional; they are essential. Your efforts have strengthened not only Italy’s national defense, but also the collective security of our Alliance under Article 5. To the men and women of NRDC-Italy, I extend the gratitude of the entire Italian Army and encourage you to continue on the path that has brought us this far. The challenges we face persist and will require constant vigilance and unwavering focus. The highest levels of readiness will be needed”.
In the near future, NRDC-ITA, together with operational units, Divisions, and Brigades, will be placed under the newly established Land Operational Forces Command, further enhancing Army-level force management. Within the framework of the reorganization known as the New Army Model (Nuovo Modello Esercito – NME), the Italian Army is adapting to the challenges posed by today’s international security environment, with an approach focused on optimizing resources for the operational component. This organizational evolution is making the Army increasingly modern and structured, with a deterrence posture that is real, credible, and clearly perceived—thus effectively dissuasive.
The celebration of this significant event also offered the NRDC-ITA multinational community an opportunity to reaffirm its gratitude to the local population for their enduring hospitality. This longstanding bond of closeness was already evident in the past, when the Italian 3rd Army Corps -precursor of NATO’s Milan-based headquarters - wrote indelible pages of history, beginning right here in Lombardy.