Javier Salto
Javier Salto Martínez-Avial (born in Madrid, 15 December 1955)[1] is a Spanish general belonging to the Spanish Air Force and has held the post of Chief of Staff since 31 March 2017. A fighter and attack pilot, he has also received training as an advanced air traffic controller (FAC), air support, flight safety, high logistic management, photo-interpretation, supplies and observer. He has been an instructor pilot in the 462 Mirage F1 Fighter Squadron and has a United States General Staff Diploma, validated in Spain.
Javier Salto Martínez-Avial | |
|---|---|
 The Chief of Staff of the Air Force (JEMA) on a presidential visit to Los Llanos Air Base on 10 October 2018 | |
| Born | 10 December 1955 |
| Allegiance | Spain |
| Service/ | Air Force |
| Years of service | 1974 - |
| Rank | Chief of Staff of the Air Army |
| Awards | Order of Merit of the Guardia Civil |
| Website | http://www.ejercito.mde.es/personal/jeme/index.html |
Career
He entered the Air Force in 1974,[2] was a student of the XXX promotion of the General Air Academy, reaching the rank of lieutenant in 1978 and completing his training as a war pilot in the School of Reactors.
He obtained his first operative assignment in the 464 Squadron of the Gando Air Base, piloting F-5A fighters. In 1981, within the same base, he moved to the 462 Squadron where he flew Mirage F1 fighters as an instructor pilot until 1993. Later, after validating his General Staff studies carried out in the United States, he occupied a position in the General Staff of the Canary Islands Air Command Headquarters. In 1996 he was sent to NATO Headquarters in Naples (AIRSOUTH) for six months. The following year he moved to the NATO Agency for the Management of Eurofighter and Tornado (NETMA), located in the German city of Munich, as a specialist in operational factors for the Eurofighter 2000 Programme. Three years later, he was assigned to the Eurofighter 2000 Programme Office at the Air Force Logistics Support Command (MALOG).
In 2003 he became a Colonel and received command of Wing 11, a unit under the operational command of Combat Air Command (MACOM). He was also in charge of the base that houses this unit, located, despite its name, in the Sevillian municipality of Arahal. In this place, now Colonel Salto was in charge of Eurofighter 2000 fighters. Between 2006 and 2008 he was Director of Operations of the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre No. 8 (CAOC 8) at Torrejón de Ardoz Air Base. In 2008 he was appointed Brigadier General and took over the Material Management Sub-Directorate of MALOG. The following year he was appointed head of the Eurofighter 2000 Programme. He attended, as a Spanish representative, the International Committee of Directors of this said program (BOD) and became its Chairman.
In 2011, promoted to division general, he received the Weapons Systems Directorate from the Air Force Logistics Support Command. He was also Spanish representative on the International Steering Committee of the Eurofighter 2000 Programme, and on the Steering Committee of the A400 Programme. In 2012 he was in charge of the Canary Islands Air Command Headquarters and three years later, as Lieutenant General, he was appointed Director of the Technical Cabinet of the Minister of Defence.
On March 31, 2017 he received the command of the Air Force, being promoted to air general and taking possession of his position on April 3.[3] Javier Salto is married, father of three daughters and is also a grandfather.
Rank History
- 1973: Entry into General Air Academy
- 1977: Ensign
- 1978: Lieutenant
- 1988: Captain
- 1991: Commander
- 1998: Lieutenant Colonel
- 2003: Colonel
- 2008: Brigadier General
- 2011: Maj-Gen
- 2012: Lieutenant General
- 2017: Air General
References
 | This article, Javier Salto, has recently been created via the Articles for creation process. Please check to see if the reviewer has accidentally left this template after accepting the draft and take appropriate action as necessary.
Reviewer tools: Inform author |
- ^ "El general Varela, el almirante López Calderón y el general Salto, nuevos jefes de Tierra, Armada y Aire". abc (in Spanish). 2017-03-31. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
- ^ https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1974/08/05/pdfs/A16116-16117.pdf
- ^ "El general Salto Martínez-Avial, nuevo Jefe de Estado Mayor del Ejército del Aire". 9 August 2019. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.