David Cenciotti

David Cenciotti
Born1975 (age 50–51)
Rome, Italy
EducationUniversity degree in computer engineering
Occupations
Known forFounder and editor of The Aviationist; aviation and defence reporting
Military service
Branch
 Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force, lit. 'military aeronautics')
Service years
1998–2000
Rank
Second lieutenant
Military occupation
Public information officer
EducationScuola di guerra aerea (Air War School of the Italian Air Force)

David Cenciotti, born 1975 (age 50–51); is an Italian former commissioned officer of the Aeronautica Militare, pilot, cybersecurity professional, author, aviation expert, and founder and chief editor of The Aviationist, an aviation- and defence-focused news website.

Cenciotti has authored several books and holds a degree in computer engineering. His commentary and work has been hosted by Business Insider, MSN, and New Delhi TV, among other news outlets and works, and he is regularly cited by official military publications.

Early life and military service

Cenciotti was born in Rome, Italy in 1975 and obtained a university degree in computer engineering.[1] After obtaining a civilian private pilot's license, Cenciotti commissioned into the Italian Air Force (ItAF) as a second lieutenant and served from 1998 to 2000 as a public information officer.[2] Cenciotti flew "several combat planes",[2] including the F-104 Starfighter.[3] Cenciotti also attended the ItAF's ’‘Scuola di guerra aerea’’ (Air War School).[3]

Reporting and authorship

Cenciotti began aviation and defence reporting in 1996 and in 2006 he founded The Aviationist, an online platform for defence- and aviation-related news, opinion pieces, and commentary, where he also serves as the chief editor. Cenciotti has reported on the stealth Blackhawk helicopters used in the killing of Osama Bin Laden,[3] the testing of aircraft at Area 51,[4] as well as on aviation-based controversies.[5] Cenciotti has written and commented extensively on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II program, with Italy providing funding for the F-35's development, and operating both the "A"- and "B"-variants;[6] Cenciotti has written regarding "jailbreaking" the F-35's software, arguing that that the Lightning II is "not a commercial [computer]" and that it would be difficult to modify the secure software.[7] Cenciotti has further analyzed the stealth aspects of the Lightning II,[8] and has otherwise reported on the aircraft's use by the ItAF,[9] including trials concerning landing and taking-off from highways.[10] His contributions to Business Insider include analysis of Iran's attempts to build a stealth aircraft, the IAIO Qaher-313,[11] and he has been referenced by The Times of Israel regarding the alleged aircraft.[12]

Cenciotti's work and commentary has been featured on and via[a] Business Insider, MSN,[13] RealClearDefense,[14] and NDTV,[15] among other entities. His work has additionally been featured or referenced by the Air Force Institute of Technology of the United States Air Force (USAF),[16] the USAF's Air & Space Power Journal[17] and the Naval War College Review of the United States Navy.[18] Cenciotti was also interviewed for Annie Jacobsen's 2016 Nuclear War: A Scenario,[19] a New York Times Best Seller list[20] non-fiction book concerning a hypothetical nuclear first strike against the United States by North Korea. The ItAF has featured Cenciotti on live-stream programming.[21]

Cenciotti's books include the official 50th-anniversary celebration book commissioned by the ItAF's Frecce Tricolori aerial performance team, Frecce tricolori. Un volo lungo cinquant’anni (English: Tricolour Arrows: An Exciting Fifty Years of Flight);[22] Brrrttt… Deployments, War Chronicles and Stories of the Last A-10 Warthogs;[23] and Italian Starfighters, a photobook chronicling the F-104 Starfighter's use by the ItAF.[24]

Cenciotti has been critical of the Italian government's budget-cuts while lauding increased defence-spending, opining in 2013:[3]

"The Italian military struggles to remain efficient in times of global financial crisis and ever-shrinking budgets. Earlier this year a Spending Review was presented by the Defense Minister of the Monti technocratic cabinet, a reform that seeks to balance the spending for personnel, operations and investment to ensure the future financial sustainability and operational effectiveness of the armed forces."

Reception

Cenciotti has been described by American military journalist David Axe as a "noted expert"[25] and by Business Insider as being "among the best and most cited" of military journalists.[3] Business Insider further described Cenciotti's coverage and analysis of the use of stealth helicopters during the killing of Osama Bin Laden as "famous".[3] The Hellenic Air Force has described The Aviationist as "one of world’s most visited and famous military aviation" websites.[26] The Aviationist has been further described as "one of the world’s most popular aviation sites" by Indian defence analysis website Livefist.[27] In 2011, American cryptographer and author Bruce Schneier asserted that "The Aviationist has consistently had the best analysis" regarding Israeli, Iranian, and United States unmanned combat aerial vehicles (military drones).[28]

In 2014, Cenciotti was criticized by the R Street Institute (a U.S. think-tank) for "singing the praises" of the Lockheed Martin-Boeing F-22 Raptor, though he is quoted as stating:[29]

"The U.S. has invested a lot in the F-22 Raptor and the U.S. Air Force has worked so much in the last few years to turn the troubled, expensive interceptor into a real multi-role platform that could be eventually used in a real operation[… a 2014 combat debut in Syria] was also the chance to appease those who criticized the costly stealth plane and the fact it was never used in combat until a couple of days ago[.]"

Personal life

Cenciotti lives in Rome, Italy and is married with two children,[3] and also works professionally in the cybersecurity field.[2]

Notes

  1. ↑ Published by The Aviationist but featured by and/or on various outlets

References

  1. ↑ "About The Aviationist". TheAviationist.com. David Cenciotti.
  2. 1 2 3 "David Cenciotti (Business Insider author profile)". Business Insider. Axel Springer SE.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Robert Johnson. "Pilot Famous For His Bin Laden Blackhawk Coverage Joins Business Insider's Defense Team". Business Insider. Axel Springer SE. Archived from the original on 6 April 2026.
  4. ↑ Cenciotti, David (18 January 2026). "Mysterious 'Dorito-Shaped' Aircraft Spotted at Night Near Area 51". The Aviationist. Archived from the original on 4 April 2026.
  5. ↑ Cenciotti, David (13 March 2016). "A U.S. E-6B Doomsday Plane is using "Trump" as radio callsign while flying over central U.S. right now". TheAviationist.com. The Aviationist. Archived from the original on 11 February 2026.
  6. ↑ "F-35 Global Partnerships". Lockheed Martin. Archived from the original on 2 September 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  7. ↑ David Cenciotti. "No, you can't just jailbreak the F‑35". TheAviationist. The Aviationist.
  8. ↑ Peter Suciu. "Were Air Force F‑35As flying over eastern Europe in stealth mode?". The National Interest. Center for the National Interest.
  9. ↑ David Cenciotti. "Italy approves Trapani training hub for F‑35". TheAviationist. The Aviationist.
  10. ↑ David Cenciotti. "Italy evaluating F‑35 highway ops". TheAviationist. The Aviationist.
  11. ↑ Robert Johnson; David Ceniotti. "Iran's new Qaher‑313 stealth jet can't fly". Business Insider. Axel Springer SE.
  12. ↑ Ben Zion, Ilan (3 February 2013). "Iran's cutting-edge fighter a hoax, critics claim". The Times of Israel. RGB Media. Archived from the original on 7 February 2025. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
  13. ↑ David Cenciotti. "New photos provide clearest view yet of secretive NT‑43A RAT55 dorsal turret". MSN. Microsoft.
  14. ↑ David Cenciotti. "B‑52 Again Carrying Air Force's Next‑gen Nuclear Cruise Missile". RealClearDefense. RealClearInvestors and Crest Media.
  15. ↑ "The war in the skies: Internet's Aviationist David Cenciotti exclusive". MSN (NDTV video). Microsoft.
  16. ↑ Bugajski, Gabriel T. (June 2010). ARCHITECTURAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR SINGLE OPERATOR MANAGEMENT OF MULTIPLE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES. Air Force Institute of Technology (Master's thesis). United States Air Force Air University. Retrieved 13 April 2026.{{cite thesis}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  17. ↑ Elliott, Justin J.; Schmitt, David R. (2019). "Unexplained Physiological Episodes: A Pilot's Perspective". Air & Space Power Journal. 33 (3). Air University, Air Education and Training Command, United States Air Force: 18, 31. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 April 2026.
  18. ↑ Murphy, Martin; Schaub Jr., Gary (2018). ""SEA OF PEACE" OR SEA OF WAR; Russian Maritime Hybrid Warfare in the Baltic Sea". Naval War College Review. 71 (2). Naval War College, Naval University System: 135, 137. Archived from the original on 12 April 2026.
  19. ↑ Jacobsen, Annie (2026). Nuclear War: A Scenario. United States: Penguin Publishing Group. p. XIV. ISBN 9780593476116.
  20. ↑ "Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction", The New York Times, 14 April 2024, archived from the original on 3 April 2024, retrieved 22 July 2025
  21. ↑ Aeronautica Militare (23 June 2019). "#BuonaDomenica ! Manifestazione aerea #ValoreTricolore a #PuntaMarina". X.com (in Italian). Aeronautica Militare via X, formerly known as Twitter. Archived from the original on 11 April 2026.
  22. ↑ David Cenciotti. Frecce tricolori. Un volo lungo cinquant’anni (in Italian). De Agostini. ISBN 9788851115173.
  23. ↑ David Cenciotti. Brrrttt… Deployments, War Chronicles and Stories of the Last A-10 Warthogs. ISBN 9781548640132.
  24. ↑ Cenciotti, David (2010). Italian Starfighters (in Italian). Italy: Aviator. ISBN 9788896723005. Archived from the original on 13 April 2026.
  25. ↑ David Axe (21 August 2013). "I built my own copy of Iran's faux stealth fighter". Medium. A Medium Corporation.
  26. ↑ "The Aviationist". Hellenic Air Force. Hellenic Air Force.
  27. ↑ "10 questions for The Aviationist's David Cenciotti". Livefist. Livefist Defence.
  28. ↑ "More on the Captured U.S. Drone". Schneier on Security. Bruce Schneier.
  29. ↑ "No, the F‑22's success against ISIS doesn't justify its price tag". R Street Institute. R Street Institute. Archived from the original on 15 January 2026.
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