He became the Commander of the Air Combat Forces Command during Operation Odyssey Dawn and Operation Unified Protector in Libya, and became the Chief of Staff of the Air Operations Command. He became the Deputy Chief of Staff of Defence from February 2015 to February 2016, and was named as the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force from March 2016 to November 2018. He was appointed by President Sergio Mattarella as the new Chief of the Defence Staff on 6 November 2018, replacing General Claudio Graziano, who was named Chairman of the European Union Military Committee.