Chief of Staff of the French Air Force

The Chief of Staff of the French Air Force (French: Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée de l'Air, acronym: C.E.M.A.A. lit. 'Chief of Staff of the Air Army') is the head of the French Air Force and is responsible to the Minister of the Armed Forces in relation to preparation and deployment. They are a subordinate of the Chief of the Defense Staff and their deputy is the Major General of the Air Force. Since the 50s, the office has been held only by five stars generals (OF-9). The current Chief is Général Philippe Lavigne since 31 August 2018.

Chief of Staff of the Air Force Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée de l'Air (fr)
Marque of the Chief[1]
Incumbent Général Philippe Lavigne since 31 August 2018
Ministry of the Armed Forces
Style	Monsieur le Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée de l'Air
Abbreviation	C.E.M.A.A.
Member of	Chiefs of Staff Committee
Reports to	Chief of the Defense Staff
Seat	Hexagone Balard, Paris
Appointer	President of the Republic Requires the Prime Minister's countersignature
Term length	No fixed term
Precursor	Directeur du Service Aéronautique
Formation	28 December 1928 (1928-12-28)[2]
First holder	Henry Michaud
Deputy	Major General of the Air Force
Website	www.defense.gouv.fr

History

Before World War II

The office was officially created in December 1928 in the 1929 Law of Finances. It proposed the creation of a top command for the "Aéronautique militaire", still under the authority of the Army, which would succeed the function of Direction of Military Aeronautics. The French Air Force became independent in 1934, and the Chief obtained full authority.

During World War II

After the armistice, Germany imposed severe restrictions on the size of the French Air Force. As a result, the scope of authority of the Chief was limited, and the office was ultimately eliminated alongside the Air Force.

After World War II

Free France and the subsequent governments of the re-established French Republic recreated the office at the end of the war.

Name of the office

The office took various names during its history:

• Chief of the General Staff of the Air Forces (1930–1933)
• Chief of the General Staff of the Air Army (1933–1943)
• Chief of the General Staff of the French Air Forces (1943–1944)
• Chief of the General Staff of the Air Army (1944–1953)
• Chief of Staff of the Air Army (1953 – )

List of chiefs

The following is a list of chiefs that served under the Third Republic, the French State, the Fourth Republic and the Fifth Republic:

Third Republic

No.	Portrait	Rank & Name	Term			Minister[lower-alpha 1]	Commander-in-Chief	Ref.[lower-alpha 2]
			Took office	Left office	Duration
Office established
1		Général de division Henry Michaud	6 October 1930	5 January 1931	91 days	Laurent Eynac Paul Painlevé	Gaston Doumergue	[3] -
2		Général de division Joseph Barès	5 January 1931	28 August 1931	235 days	Paul Painlevé Jacques-Louis Dumesnil	Gaston Doumergue Paul Doumer	[4] -
3		Général de division Lucien Hergault	28 August 1931	15 January 1933	1 year, 140 days	Jacques-Louis Dumesnil Paul Painlevé	Paul Doumer Albert Lebrun	[5] -
4		Général de division Joseph Barès	15 January 1933	2 April 1933	77 days	Paul Painlevé Pierre Cot	Albert Lebrun	[6] -
5		Général de division Victor Denain	2 April 1933	16 February 1934	320 days	Pierre Cot Victor Denain	Albert Lebrun	[7] -
6		Général de division aérienne Joseph Barès	16 February 1934	3 September 1934	199 days	Victor Denain	Albert Lebrun	[8] -
7		Général de division aérienne Louis Picard	3 September 1934	27 December 1935	1 year, 115 days	Victor Denain	Albert Lebrun	[9] [10]
8		Général de division aérienne Bernard Pujo	27 December 1935	15 October 1936	293 days	Victor Denain Marcel Déat	Albert Lebrun	[11] -
9		Général de division aérienne Philippe Féquant	15 October 1936	2 February 1938	1 year, 130 days	Marcel Déat Pierre Cot Guy La Chambre	Albert Lebrun	[12] -
10		Général de division aérienne Joseph Vuillemin	22 February 1938	10 September 1940	2 years, 201 days	Guy La Chambre Laurent Eynac Bertrand Pujo Jean Bergeret	Albert Lebrun Philippe Pétain	[13] [14]

French State

No.	Portrait	Rank & Name	Term			Minister[lower-alpha 1]	Commander-in-Chief	Ref.[lower-alpha 2]
			Took office	Left office	Duration
11		Général de corps aérien Robert Odic	10 September 1940	23 September 1940	13 days	Jean Bergeret	Philippe Pétain	[15] [16]
12		Général de brigade aérienne Jean C. Romatet	23 September 1940	21 December 1942	2 years, 89 days	Jean Bergeret Jean-François Jannekeyn	Philippe Pétain	[17] -
13		Général de division aérienne Jean-François Jannekeyn	?	?	?	François Darlan	Philippe Pétain	- -
Office disestablished (Air Force disbanded during German occupation - See Free French Air Forces)

Fourth Republic

No.	Portrait	Rank & Name	Term			Minister[lower-alpha 1]	Commander-in-Chief	Ref.[lower-alpha 2]
			Took office	Left office	Duration
Office reestablished
14		Général de corps aérien René Bouscat	2 July 1943	31 October 1944	1 year, 121 days	Vacant André Le Troquer Fernand Grenier	Charles de Gaulle	[18] -
15		Général d'armée aérienne Martial Henri Valin	31 October 1944	29 February 1946	1 year, 120 days	Charles Tillon Vacant	Charles de Gaulle Félix Gouin	- -
16		Général d'armée aérienne René Bouscat	29 February 1946	7 September 1946	191 days	Vacant	Félix Gouin Georges Bidault	[19] -
17		Général de division aérienne Paul Gérardot	7 September 1946	15 February 1947	161 days	Vacant	Georges Bidault Vincent Auriol	[20] -
18		Général de division aérienne Jean Piollet	15 February 1947	1 February 1948	351 days	Vacant André Maroselli Pierre-Henri Teitgen	Vincent Auriol	[21] -
19		Général d'armée aérienne Charles Léchères	1 February 1948	22 August 1953	5 years, 202 days	Pierre-Henri Teitgen René Mayer [...] Georges Bidault René Pleven	Vincent Auriol	- [22]
20		Général d'armée aérienne Pierre Fay	22 August 1953	22 March 1955	1 year, 212 days	René Pleven Marie-Pierre Kœnig Emmanuel Temple Jacques Chevalier Marie-Pierre Kœnig	Vincent Auriol René Coty	- -
21		Général d'armée aérienne Paul Bailly	22 March 1955	17 March 1958	2 years, 360 days	Marie-Pierre Kœnig Pierre Billotte Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury André Morice Jacques Chaban-Delmas	René Coty	- [23]
22		Général d'armée aérienne Max Gelée	17 March 1958	1 October 1958	198 days	Jacques Chaban-Delmas Pierre de Chevigné Charles de Gaulle	René Coty	- -

Fifth Republic

No.	Portrait	Rank & Name	Term			Minister	Commander-in-Chief	Ref.[lower-alpha 2]
			Took office	Left office	Duration
23		Général d'armée aérienne Edmond Jouhaud	1 October 1958	15 March 1960	1 year, 166 days	Charles de Gaulle Pierre Guillaumat	René Coty Charles de Gaulle	- [24]
24		Général d'armée aérienne Paul Stehlin	15 March 1960	1 October 1963	3 years, 200 days	Pierre Guillaumat Pierre Messmer	Charles de Gaulle	- [25]
25		Général d'armée aérienne André Martin	1 October 1963	27 February 1967	3 years, 149 days	Pierre Messmer	Charles de Gaulle	- -
26		Général d'armée aérienne Philippe Maurin	27 February 1967	13 December 1969	2 years, 289 days	Pierre Messmer Michel Debré	Charles de Gaulle Georges Pompidou	[26] -
27		Général d'armée aérienne Gabriel Gauthier	13 December 1969	12 December 1972	2 years, 365 days	Michel Debré	Georges Pompidou	- -
28		Général d'armée aérienne Claude Grigaut	12 December 1972	24 June 1976	3 years, 195 days	Michel Debré Robert Galley Jacques Soufflet Yvon Bourges	Georges Pompidou Valéry Giscard d'Estaing	[27] -
29		Général d'armée aérienne Maurice Saint-Cricq	24 June 1976	16 July 1979	3 years, 22 days	Yvon Bourges	Valéry Giscard d'Estaing	[28] -
30		Général d'armée aérienne Guy Fleury	16 July 1979	11 June 1982	2 years, 330 days	Yvon Bourges Joël Le Theule Robert Galley Charles Hernu	Valéry Giscard d'Estaing François Mitterrand	[29] -
31		Général d'armée aérienne Bernard Capillon	11 June 1982	16 October 1986	4 years, 127 days	Charles Hernu Paul Quilès André Giraud	François Mitterrand	[30] -
32		Général d'armée aérienne Achille Lerche	16 October 1986	25 April 1989	2 years, 191 days	André Giraud Jean-Pierre Chevènement	François Mitterrand	[31] -
33		Général d'armée aérienne Jean Fleury	25 April 1989	2 December 1991	2 years, 220 days	Jean-Pierre Chevènement Pierre Joxe	François Mitterrand	[32] -
34		Général d'armée aérienne Vincent Lanata	2 December 1991	1 July 1994	2 years, 211 days	Pierre Joxe François Léotard	François Mitterrand	[33] -
35		Général d'armée aérienne Jean-Philippe Douin	1 July 1994	1 September 1995	1 year, 62 days	François Léotard Charles Millon	François Mitterrand Jacques Chirac	[34] -
36		Général d'armée aérienne Jean Rannou	1 September 1995	2 July 2000	4 years, 305 days	Charles Millon Alain Richard	Jacques Chirac	[35] -
37		Général d'armée aérienne Jean-Pierre Job	2 July 2000	1 September 2002	2 years, 61 days	Alain Richard Michèle Alliot-Marie	Jacques Chirac	[36] -
38		Général d'armée aérienne Richard Wolsztynski	1 September 2002	16 July 2006	3 years, 318 days	Michèle Alliot-Marie	Jacques Chirac	[37] -
39		Général d'armée aérienne Stéphane Abrial	16 July 2006	25 August 2009	3 years, 40 days	Michèle Alliot-Marie Hervé Morin	Jacques Chirac Nicolas Sarkozy	[38] -
40		Général d'armée aérienne Jean-Paul Paloméros	25 August 2009	17 September 2012	3 years, 23 days	Hervé Morin Alain Juppé Gérard Longuet Jean-Yves Le Drian	Nicolas Sarkozy François Hollande	[39] [40]
41		Général d'armée aérienne Denis Mercier	17 September 2012	21 September 2015	3 years, 4 days	Jean-Yves Le Drian	François Hollande	[41] [42]
42		Général d'armée aérienne André Lanata	21 September 2015	31 August 2018	2 years, 344 days	Jean-Yves Le Drian Sylvie Goulard Florence Parly	François Hollande Emmanuel Macron	[43] [44]
43		Général d'armée aérienne Philippe Lavigne	31 August 2018	Incumbent	1 year, 351 days	Florence Parly	Emmanuel Macron	[45] [46]

Free France

From its creation in 1940 to the final integration of its air force to the regular French Air Force, Free France had its own staff, based in London. The Free French Aerial Forces were headed by a Commander, responsible to the Commander-in-Chief of the Free French Forces, and was assisted by a Chief of the General Staff.

Commanders of the Free French Aerial Forces

List of Commanders of the Free French Aerial Forces
No.	Portrait	Name	Term			Commissioner	Commander-in-Chief	Ref.[lower-alpha 2]
			Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Vice-amiral Emile Muselier	1 July 1940	10 July 1941	1 year, 9 days	Vacant	Charles de Gaulle	[47] -
2		Général de brigade aérienne Martial Henri Valin	10 July 1941	? June 1944	2 years, 327 days	Vacant Martial Henri Valin	Charles de Gaulle	[48] -

Chiefs of the General Staff

List of Chiefs of the General Staff
No.	Portrait	Name	Term			Commissioner	Commander-in-Chief	Ref.[lower-alpha 2]
			Took office	Left office	Duration
1		Capitaine Eugène-Marcel Chevrier	1 July 1940	25 December 1940	177 days	Vacant	Charles de Gaulle	- -
2		Lieutenant-colonel Charles Pijeaud	13 January 1941	31 March 1941	77 days	Vacant	Charles de Gaulle	- -
3		Général de brigade aérienne Martial Henri Valin	31 March 1941	10 July 1941	101 days	Vacant	Charles de Gaulle	- -
4		Lieutenant-colonel Charles Pijeaud	10 July 1941	1 December 1941	144 days	Vacant Martial Henri Valin	Charles de Gaulle	- -
5		Colonel Charles Luguet	1 December 1941	13 April 1942	133 days	Martial Henri Valin	Charles de Gaulle	- -
6		Colonel Pierre Coustey	13 April 1942	13 April 1943	1 year, 0 days	Martial Henri Valin	Charles de Gaulle	- -
7		Colonel Georges Andrieu	13 April 1943	? November 1944	1 year, 202 days	Martial Henri Valin André Le Troquer Fernand Grenier	Charles de Gaulle	- -

See also

• Chief of the Defence Staff
  • Chief of Staff of the French Army
  • Chief of Staff of the French Navy
  • Special Operations Command
  • Directorate General of the National Gendarmerie
• Strategic Air Forces Command

Explanatory notes

1. Before 1947, the Minister of the Air was responsible. After 1947, it is the Minister of the Armed Forces.
2. Upper references are the official decree of nomination in French. Lower references are press articles in English.

Citations

1. "Marques, honneurs, saluts et visites dans les forces navales et à bord des bâtiments de la marine militaire". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). 10 August 1939. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
2. Government of the French Republic (28 December 1928). "Loi des Finances pour l'exercice 1929 - Article 116". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 28 October 2019.
3. Government of the French Republic (5 October 1930). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
4. Government of the French Republic (5 January 1931). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
5. Government of the French Republic (27 August 1931). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
6. Government of the French Republic (14 January 1933). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
7. Government of the French Republic (1 April 1933). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
8. Government of the French Republic (15 February 1934). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
9. Government of the French Republic (31 August 1934). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
10. "GENERAL PICARD; Chief of 'the French Air Force General Staff Until 1940". The New York Times. 14 August 1943. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
11. Government of the French Republic (26 December 1935). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
12. Government of the French Republic (16 September 1936). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
13. Government of the French Republic (22 February 1938). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
14. "French Air Staff Chief Will Make Visit to Reich". The New York Times. 22 July 1938. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
15. Government of the French State (4 September 1940). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
16. "General Odic Joins Free French". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 November 1941. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
17. Government of the French State (23 September 1940). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
18. Government of the French Republic (1 July 1943). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
19. Government of the French Republic (28 February 1946). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
20. Government of the French Republic (2 September 1946). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
21. Government of the French Republic (15 February 1947). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
22. "Foes of Laos in Regrouping". The Baltimore Sun. 3 May 1953. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
23. "French Air Force Staff Chief Resigns". St. Petersburg Independent. 14 March 1958. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
24. "O.A.S. Leader Denies Part in Hold-up". The Age. 13 April 1962. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
25. "GEN. PAUL STEHLIN OF FRANCE, 67, DIES; Figured in the Controversy on New Fighter Plane". The New York Times. 23 June 1975. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
26. Government of the French Republic (21 February 1967). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
27. Government of the French Republic (6 December 1972). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
28. Government of the French Republic (31 May 1976). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
29. Government of the French Republic (11 June 1979). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
30. Government of the French Republic (24 March 1982). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
31. Government of the French Republic (8 September 1986). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
32. Government of the French Republic (3 April 1989). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
33. Government of the French Republic (9 October 1991). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
34. Government of the French Republic (9 May 1994). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
35. Government of the French Republic (3 August 1995). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
36. Government of the French Republic (25 May 2000). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
37. Government of the French Republic (18 July 2002). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
38. Government of the French Republic (1 June 2006). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
39. Government of the French Republic (20 July 2009). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
40. Stacy Meichtry & Marion Halftermeyer (5 June 2014). "Last of Surviving D-Day Veterans Battle Time to Bear Witness". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
41. Government of the French Republic (2 August 2012). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
42. "Greek fighter jet crash 'due to takeoff fault'". BBC. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
43. Government of the French Republic (4 June 2015). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
44. "NATO welcomes new Supreme Allied Commander Transformation". NATO. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
45. Government of the French Republic (18 August 2018). "Décret portant affectation d'un officier général". legifrance.gouv.fr (in French). Retrieved 29 February 2020.
46. Brian Everstine (2 July 2019). "French Air Force Begins Research into Sixth Generation Aircraft". Air Force Magazine. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
47. National Order of Liberation. "Émile Muselier". Retrieved 29 October 2019.
48. Government of Free France (5 July 1941). "Décret du portant nomination du Commandant des Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres". gallica.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 28 October 2019.