Lieutenant General Frederik Vansina was announced on Thursday as Belgium's Chief of Defence, the highest position within the national armed forces. He formerly served as Deputy Chief of Defence under Admiral Michel Hofman, whom he now replaces.
Speaking on Thursday at the change-of-command ceremony, Admiral Hofman commended the work done by his former deputy. "We set ourselves a very clear goal from the outset, and we stuck to it, both of us working very hard," said Hofman, who was Chief of Defence from 2020 to 2024.
Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder described Lt. Gen. Vansina as “the right person in the right place.”
Graduate of the Royal Military School
Vansina, an experienced combat pilot who ascended all ranks before becoming the military high command's 'number two' last July, was born in 1964 in Berne, Switzerland. As a diplomat’s son, he spent his youth in various European countries, the United States, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, then known as Zaire.
He completed his military education at the Royal Military School in 1987 with a Master’s degree in Social and Military Sciences, according to the Ministry of Defence.
After finishing his pilot training, he joined the 350th fighter squadron stationed at Beauvechain Air Base, equipped with F-16 fighter-bombers. After completing training as a European F-16 dispatcher as well as training in tactics in 1992, he became the squadron’s instructor.
Vansina completed higher officer candidate training, then returned in 1995 to the 350th squadron as an operations officer. Joining the 'Air Plans and Programmes' division at Air Force headquarters in Evere in 1996, he balanced this staff work with the role of aide-de-camp to Prince Philippe for four years.
Fighter squadron commander
In 2000, Major Vansina took command of the 349th fighter squadron attached to the 10th tactical wing of the Kleine-Brogel airbase in Limbourg. During this time, he participated in Operation 'Joint Forge/Joint Guardian' over the Balkans as operations chief of a Belgian-Dutch unit deployed at Amendola, southern Italy.
After attending the higher staff course at the Royal Higher Institute of Defence in 2002, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. Subsequently, he was commissioned for studies on the future of tactical aerial capacity at the general staff’s Strategy Department.
In 2005, Lieutenant Colonel Vansina took command of the Flying Group of the 10th Tactical Wing. During his tenure, he led the first Belgian F-16 detachment assessed in NATO’s Tactical Evaluation programme (TACTEL).
In 2007, he joined the Operational Component staff as the Operations Division commander.
In 2009, Colonel Vansina took command of the Kleine-Brogel’s 10th tactical wing. Under his command, this unit participated in air operations over Afghanistan in support of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, and Operation Unified Protector in Libya that led to the downfall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. During this time, the wing underwent several international evaluations for its “strike” (nuclear) role.
Multiple command positions
After leaving command, he was selected for the NATO Defence College’s higher course in Rome. In February 2013, Colonel Vansina was appointed Air Component Chief of Staff.
Promoted major general in March 2014, he became the deputy chief of staff responsible for operations and training. He was later appointed commander of the Belgian Air Force in November 2014.
In September 2016, Major General Vansina became King Philippe’s aide-de-camp. In January 2020, he was appointed nonresident director of the European Air Group based in High Wycombe, west of London.
In September 2020, he was appointed deputy chief of staff for Strategy at Defence headquarters, managing politico-military issues, and capability director for Defence staff.
In July 2023, he was promoted to lieutenant general and became Deputy Chief of Defence, serving as Admiral Michel Hofman’s right-hand man.
Throughout his career, General Vansina has accumulated 2,600 flying hours on jet aircraft, of which 1,900 have been in F-16s.
