Col. Walter Villadei, Ax-3 Pilot

Born April 1974 in Rome, Italy, Walter Villadei is a colonel in the Italian Air Force (ItAF) and is currently the head of ItAF’s representative office in the U.S., overseeing commercial spaceflight initiatives. He has extensive experience in Italian space programs, including multiple assignments as a member of the scientific committee of the Italian Space Agency and national representative for the European Commission for the Space Surveillance and Tracking Program. Villadei has served as a flight engineer on the C-130J and G-222, and flew on the MB339 and Eurofighter Typhoon (EFA). The EFA-2000 is a European multinational twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter jet designed for multiple combat roles, including air-to-air combat, air support, aerial bombing, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and suppression of air defenses. The MB-339 is a military jet trainer and light attack aircraft. Villadei has extensive experience in land, sea, and winter survival training and has participated in mult