Admiral Francisco Javier Franco Suanzes is the new Spanish Fleet Commander (ALFLOT) and the new Operational Commander of EUROMARFOR (COMEUROMARFOR).

:: BIOGRAPHY ::

Admiral Francisco Javier Franco Suanzes was born in Madrid on March 16th 1953. He entered the Naval Academy in Marín in 1972, graduating as Lieutenant Junior Grade in July 1977.

He served on board the destroyer Jorge Juan, minesweeper Júcar, corvette Infanta Elena and frigate Santa María, and was Executive Officer of the 41st Escort Squadron. He was Commanding Officer of the fast patrol boat Javier Quiroga, the corvette Cazadora and the frigate Numancia.

Among his shore assignments, he worked at the Fleet Training Assessment Office and was lecturer at the Electronic Warfare Training Center. After completing War College studies he was assigned to the Naval War College as lecturer in Strategy, and continued in the same area at the Strategy and Military Cooperation Division in the Joint Staff. Between September 2003 and September 2006, he was appointed Superintendent of the Naval Academy in Marín.

On October 6th 2006, he was promoted to Rear Admiral and appointed Chief of the Operations Division at the Spanish Navy Staff. He was subsequently appointed Commander of the Fleet Projection Task Group made up of the aircraft-carrier Príncipe de Asturias, amphibious ships and landing craft.

On August 2nd 2009 he was promoted to Vice-Admiral and assigned Chief of the Naval Command of the Canary Islands and later Maritime Action Admiral.

Admiral Franco Suanzes is also Chief of the Maritime Security and Surveillance Command in charge of conducting, under the command of the Chief of the Defense Staff, the designated naval operations.

He is a specialist in Electronics and a Naval War College graduate.

Admiral Franco is married and has three children.