Stéphane Abrial

Stéphane Abrial (French pronunciation: ​[abʁiɑl]), (born 7 September 1954 in Condom, Gers), is a French general who is the previous commander of Allied Command Transformation based in Norfolk, VA, one of the two NATO strategic commands. His previous posting was as the Chief of Staff of the French Air Force.[1]

Stéphane Abrial
Général d'Armée Aérienne Stéphane Abrial, Commander Allied Command Transformation-NATO
Born (1954-09-07) 7 September 1954
Condom, Gers
AllegianceFrance
Service/branchFrench Air Force
Years of service1976 – 2012
RankGénéral d'armée aérienne
Commands heldChief of Staff of the French Air Force (2006–2009)
Allied Command Transformation (2009–2012)
Battles/warsGulf War
AwardsGrand Officer of the Legion of Honour
Officer of the Order of National Merit
Médaille de l'Aéronautique
Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)
Grand Officer of the Order of Abdulaziz al Saud (Saudi Arabia)
Grand Officer of the Order of Aeronautical Merit (Brazil)

French military career

General Stéphane Abrial graduated in 1973 from the French Air Force academy (École de l'air), and in 1974 from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He completed pilot training at the French Air Force Academy in 1976.

From 1977 to 1991, he served as a fighter pilot both in France (in Cambrai, Dijon and Orange) and, from 1981 to 1984, in a West German Luftwaffe unit. In 1988, he assisted the Greek Air Force in converting its first unit equipped with the Mirage 2000.

In 1991, he took part in the first Gulf War as a fighter pilot and commander of the French Air Force's 5th Fighter Squadron. Later that year, he attended the Air War College, at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.

From 1992 to 1996, he served in the staff of the French Air Force Chief of Staff and the Chief of Defense Staff. From 1996 to 1999, he served at NATO Headquarters, in Brussels. In 2000, he became deputy head of the French President's military staff, and in 2002 was appointed head of the French Prime Minister's military staff.

In 2005, General Abrial became head of the French Air Defense headquarters, in Taverny, and in 2006 Air Force Chief of Staff.[2]

NATO Supreme Allied Commander

Gen. Stéphane Abrial received appointment by the North Atlantic Council as Supreme Allied Commander Transformation on 29 July 2009, the first European to be appointed permanently as head of a NATO strategic command.

In April 2010, he received a Distinguished Leadership Award from the Atlantic Council.[3]

Major military awards

Civilian career

Since July 2015, Abrial has been senior executive vice president of international and public affairs of Safran.[9]

Since February 2014, Abrial has also been Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Musée de l’air et de l’espace Paris, since April 2013, Director of the Atlantic Council, and, since December 2013, member of the Advisory Board of the Aspen Institute France.[10]

Notes
  1. French political news site Profession politique, Profession Politique
  2. Official biography http://www.defense.gouv.fr/air/base/annexes/biographie_du_general_abrial%5B%5D
  3. ACT press release
  4. "Comandante da Aeronáutica participa de solenidade na Base Aérea de Orange" (in Portuguese). Força Aérea Brasileira. 17 September 2008. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  5. "Visita al Ministerio de Defensa del General del Aire D.Stéphane Abrial,Comandante Supremo del Mando Aliado de Transformacion(SACT) Imposición de la Gran Cruz del Mérito Naval con distintivo blanco" (in Spanish). Ministerio de Defensa de España. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  6. "Generálporučík Vojtek v Rumunsku ocenil medailou generála Abriala" (in Slovak). OZBROJENÉ SILY SR. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  7. "Grand-Croix de l'Ordre de la Couronne pour le Général français Stéphane Abrial" (in French). Pieter De Crem. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  8. http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pictures/2012_09_120914a-cmc-ceremony/20120925_120914a-010_rdax_600x428.JPG
  9. Kerry Lynch (2 June 2016). "Turbomeca, Snecma CEOs Shift In Safran Shakeup". AINonline. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  10. "Stéphane Abrial". Safran. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
Military offices
Preceded by
Richard Wolsztynski		 Chief of Staff of the French Air Force
16 July 2006 – 24 August 2009		 Succeeded by
Jean-Paul Paloméros
Preceded by
James Mattis		 Supreme Allied Commander Transformation
9 September 2009 – 6 August 2012		 Succeeded by
Jean-Paul Paloméros
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