Stefano Canarutto

Currently in service to the Italian General Staff - 7° Dept. “Ships Design” – Under Water Warfare office – Mine Warfare, participating in the developments and studies related to the update of ITN Mine Warfare Component

He was born on 12 Feb 1984 in Taranto (Italy) and joined IT Navy in 2002.

In the 2009 he obtained the specialization in Mine Warfare, and was assigned from up to 2018 on-board Gaeta Class Minehunters through the entire command chain as follow:

• Navigation Officer from 2008 to 2011 o/b ITS VIESTE and ITS VIAREGGIO, participating in 1 NATO Standing Naval Maritime Counter Measures Group 2 deployment (operation INAS BAHR, in Persian Gulf);
• Operations Officer from 2011 to 2014 o/b ITS CROTONE, participating in 3 NATO Standing Naval Maritime Counter Measures Group 2 deployments, Route Surveys, wreck/historical sites research and inspections, historical ordnance removal;
• Executive Officer from 2014 to 2018 o/b ITS VIAREGGIO and ITS CROTONE, participating in 1 NATO Standing Naval Maritime Counter Measures Group 2 deployment, Route Surveys, wreck/historical sites research and inspections, underwater searches in support of Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Cultural Heritage, historical ordnance removal. During this period was called to plan and conduct the ITN first activity with MW Remotely Operated Vehicle under an oil extraction site and over the related pipeline, to demonstrate the capability of MW assets to conduct inspection and surveillance of this type of infrastructure.

From 2018 to 2020 was assigned as Operations Head in the 53rd Naval Mine Hunter Squadron, operating as CTU/CTG/CTF Mine Warfare Officer and Mine Warfare SME under national and NATO authority. In this period participated to the organisation and planning of the first activity conducted with an Autonomous Unmanned Vehicle (HUGIN 1000) over an underwater gas pipeline.

Since 2020 is employed in ITN General Staff – 7° Dept. “Ships Design” – Under Water Warfare office – Mine Warfare branch, contributing, amongst the others, to the development process of the Next Generation Mine Hunting Vessel and related Unmanned capabilities.