General of the Air | |
---|---|
Country | Spain |
Service branch | Spanish Air and Space Force |
Rank | Four-star |
NATO rank code | OF-9 |
Formation | May 19, 1999 |
Next higher rank | Captain general of the Air Force |
Next lower rank | Lieutenant general |
Equivalent ranks |
General of the Air(Spanish: General del Aire) also called Air General, is a four-star general officer and the second highest possible rank in the Spanish Air and Space Force. A General of the Air ranks immediately above a Lieutenant general and is equivalent to a General of the Army and an Admiral General. There is not equivalent in the Civil Guard or in the Spanish Navy Marines; in both cases the top rank is Lieutenant general.
The rank was created in 1999 to adapt the Spanish military rank to the ranks of NATO [1] This is the highest rank that a military can reach, because the next higher is Captain General and that rank is only reserved to the King or Queen as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces (even that sometimes has been given as honorary rank to some generals).
The General of the Air insignia consist in a baton crossed over a saber under a Royal Crown and a star in every angles that form the crossed baton and the saber. Being under a Crown means that the rank is part of the generalship (the group of generals of the Armed Forces), the baton and the saber means command and the four stars means the rank of General. This insignia was used before to 1999 by the Head of State as Captain General. [2]
The promotion to General of the Air is reserved to two positions. These are, the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Chief of Staff of the Air and Space Force.
Both positions are appointed by the Government, the first is directly nominated by the Prime Minister and the second is nominated by the Minister of Defence. Being appointed Chief of the Defence Staff means the automatically promotion to the rank of General of the Air. The same happens with the Chief of Staff of the Air and Space Force with the exception if the official appointed has the rank of Divisional general, in that case, the official needs to be promoted first to Lieutenant general. [1]
As of January 2020, there are the 10 Generals of the Air alive, these are:
Promoted | Name | Others |
---|---|---|
21 May 1999 | Juan Antonio Lombo López [3] | Chief of Staff of the Air Force (1997 [4] -2001) [5] |
21 May 1999 (Ad honorem) | Federico Michavila Pallarés [6] | Chief of Staff of the Air Force (1986-1990) |
21 May 1999 (Ad honorem) | Ramón Fernández Sequeiros [7] | Chief of Staff of the Air Force (1990-1994) |
20 April 2001 | Eduardo González-Gallarza Morales [8] | Chief of Staff of the Air Force (2001-2004) [9] |
25 June 2004 | Francisco José García de la Vega [10] | Chief of Staff of the Air Force (2004-2008) [11] |
18 July 2008 | José Jiménez Ruiz [12] | Chief of Staff of the Air Force (2008-2012) [13] |
19 July 2008 | José Julio Rodríguez Fernández [14] | Chief of the Defence Staff (2008-2011) [15] |
27 July 2012 | Francisco Javier García Arnáiz [16] | Chief of Staff of the Air Force (2012-2017) [17] |
31 March 2017 | Javier Salto Martínez-Avial [18] | Chief of Staff of the Air and Space Force (2017–present) |
15 January 2020 | Miguel Ángel Villarroya Vilalta [19] | Chief of the Defence Staff (2020–2021) |
The most recent Air General to die was Santiago Valderas Cañestro on 12 January 2019, who served as Chief of the Defence Staff from 1996 to 2000. [20]
The second deputy prime minister of Spain, officially Second Vice President of the Government of Spain, is a senior member of the Government of Spain. The office of the Second Deputy Prime Minister is not a permanent position, existing only at the discretion of the Prime Minister. It is a constitutional office because it is foreseen in the Constitution when it provides for the possibility of existing more than one Vice Presidency.
The President of the Principality of Asturias ; Asturian: Presidente del Principáu d'Asturies) is the head of government of the Spanish autonomous community of Asturias. The president is chosen by the General Junta of the Principality of Asturias, autonomous parliamentary institution.
The Ministry of Culture and Sport (MCD) is the department of the Government of Spain responsible for the promotion, protection and dissemination of the Spanish historical heritage, national museums, art, books, reading and literary creation, of cinematographic and audiovisual activities and of state archives and libraries.
The president of the Government of Aragon, also known as the president of the General Deputation of Aragon or, simply, the president of Aragon, is the head of government of Aragon, an autonomous community in Spain. The President is elected to a four-year term by the Aragonese Corts.
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the highest-ranking military officer in the Spanish Armed Forces and is the principal military advisor to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence, the National Defence Council and the National Security Council. It is the fourth military authority of the country after the Monarch, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence because the Secretary of State for Defence and the Under Secretary of Defence do not have military authority.
The president of the Junta of Castile and León is the executive head of government of the Spanish autonomous community of Castile and León. The president is the head of the Junta of Castile and León, or regional government.
The Chief of Staff of the Navy or Admiral Chief of Staff of the Navy (AJEMA) is the highest-ranking military officer of the Spanish Navy that, under the authority of the Defence Minister, exercises command over the naval branch and, as such, is the principal military advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff, the Minister of Defence, the Secretary of State for Defence, the Under-Secretary of Defence and the National Defence Council.
The Chief of Staff of the Air and Space Force (JEMAE) is a four-star general that under the authority of the defence minister exercises command over the Spanish Air and Space Force, and as such is the principal military advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff, the Minister of Defence, the Secretary of State for Defence and the Under Secretary of Defence. It's also a member of the Council of Chiefs of Staff and a military advisor to the National Defence Council.
The Defence High Command was the principal staff body of the Spanish Armed Forces during the Francoist regime and the Spanish transition to democracy. It operated between 1939 and 1980, and was in charge of coordination between the staffs of the three branches of the Armed Forces.
The Board of Joint Chiefs of Staff was the highest joint military command body of the Spanish Armed Forces that operated between 1977 and 2005. The Board, subject to the political dependence of the Prime Minister, constituted the highest collegiate body of the chain of military command of Army, the Navy and the Air Force. The Board consisted of a president, selected from among lieutenant generals or admirals of the three branches of the Armed Forces, their chiefs of staff and a secretary. The president had to belong to the Group of Arms Command or Group "A" and was also chief of the Defence High Command, until the dissolution of this body in 1980. The Board also had a General Headquarters, created in 1980 as a result of the dissolution of the Defence High Command, where the organs of aid to the command were integrated. Of the General Headquarters of the JUJEM they depended:
General of the Army(Spanish: General de Ejército), also called Army General, is a four-star general officer and the second highest possible rank in the Spanish Army. A General of the Army ranks immediately above a Lieutenant general and is equivalent to an Admiral General and a General of the Air. There is no equivalent in the Civil Guard or in the Spanish Navy Marines; in both cases the top rank is Lieutenant General.
Admiral general also called general admiral, is a four-star flag officer and the second highest possible rank in the Spanish Navy. Admiral general ranks immediately above admiral and is equivalent to a General of the Army and a General of the Air. There is not equivalent in the Civil Guard or in the Spanish Navy Marines; in both cases the top rank is Lieutenant general.
The Chief of the Joint Defence Staff (JEMACON) is a high-ranking military officer. The JEMACON is the closest assistant and advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff and it is appointed by the Monarch at the request of the Minister of Defence.
The second government of Francisco Franco was formed on 9 August 1939, following the end of the Spanish Civil War. It succeeded the first Franco government and was the Government of Spain from 9 August 1939 to 20 July 1945, a total of 2,172 days, or 5 years, 11 months and 11 days.
The Spanish Minister of War was the head of the Ministry of War. The position was established as the Royal Secretary of War in 1807. In 1977 it was collected with the Minister of the Navy and Minister of the Air to create the Minister of Defence.
Manuel Díez-Alegría Gutiérrez was a Spanish military officer who served as Chief of the Defence High Command (Alto Estado Mayor, AEM) between 1970 and 1974, i.e., chief of staff of the Spanish Armed Forces during the Francoist dictatorship.
Álvaro de Lacalle Leloup was a Spanish military officer who served as President of the Board of Joint Chiefs of Staff (Junta de Jefes de Estado Mayor, JUJEM) between 1982 and 1984, i.e., chief of staff of the Spanish Armed Forces at the time.
Ignacio Alfaro Arregui was a Spanish military officer who served as Chief of the Defence High Command (Alto Estado Mayor, AEM) between 1978 and 1980, and as President of the Board of Joint Chiefs of Staff (Junta de Jefes de Estado Mayor, JUJEM) between 1978 and 1982. The offices he held made him chief of staff of the Spanish Armed Forces at the time.
Felipe Galarza Sánchez was a Spanish military officer who served as Chief of the Defence High Command (Alto Estado Mayor, AEM), and as President of the Board of Joint Chiefs of Staff (Junta de Jefes de Estado Mayor, JUJEM) between 1977 and 1978. The offices he held made him chief of staff of the Spanish Armed Forces at the time.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)NATO code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF(D) | Student officer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spain (Edit) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capitán General | General del Aire | Teniente General | General de División | General de Brigada | Coronel | Teniente Coronel | Comandante | Capitán | Teniente | Alférez | Oficial Cadete | Alumno |