Rear Admiral (LH) Francesco Iavazzo attended the Naval Academy in Livorno from 1992 to 1996. Once graduated, he joined ITS ORSA MAGGIORE, a sailboat of the Italian Navy that was doing the full round-the-world journey.
At the completion of this unique experience, he qualified as Telecommunications and Operational Information Officer, promoted Lieutenant Junior Grade, he served onboard a Destroyer, ITS AUDACE, as Electronic Warfare Officer and participated in the NATO Operation Allied Force campaign during the war in Kosovo.
In 2000 he went through the Academy Specialization Course and afterward, in the rank of Lieutenant, started his service as Operational Officer onboard ITS CHIMERA, a Corvette stationed in Sicily. Three years after he assumed the same role onboard ITS COMANDANTE BETTICA, a brand-new Offshore Patrol Vessel. His first command occurred in 2006 onboard ITS PONZA, a supply ship.
His next role was as Operational Officer onboard ITS ARTIGLIERE, a Frigate that in two years took part twice in the NATO Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean and in the UN Operation UNIFIL Maritime Task Force in Lebanon. In 2009, in the rank of Lieutenant Commander, he had his first professional experience outside a Naval Unit, at the Joint Defense General Staff, where he was addressing the issues of capability development.
In 2012, in the rank of Commander, he was appointed in an international posting at the NATO Joint Force Command in Brunssum, the Netherlands, first in the J2 (intelligence) and then in the J6 (CIS) divisions. After returning to Italy he resumed his service onboard ITS COMANDANTE BETTICA, this time as Commanding Officer, with a year-long participation in the national Maritime Security Operation Mare Sicuro.
At the end of his command, he was moved to the 3rd Department of the Navy General Staff working as responsible for strategic force planning and capability development of the Armed Force. Promoted to the rank of Captain in 2019, in 2021 he assumed the lead of the inter-ministerial Branch, in 2022 he was appointed as Commanding Officer of the LPD SAN GIORGIO based in Brindisi. In September 2023, Capt. IAVAZZO returned to his former job in the Navy Staff where he stayed until summer 2025 as branch-head.
In July 2025 he was nominated Commander of the NATO Standing Maritime Group Two.
