Vice Admiral Christian Canova French Navy
Deputy Commander Maritime Command Northwood
Officer
in the Legion of Honour, Officer of National Meritorious Order, Officer
of the Maritime Merit, Overseas War Cross, Combat Operations medal,
National Defence medal, Overseas Service medal, United Sates of America
Meritorious Service medal, Gulf War medals, European Union Operation
Atalanta medal.
Vice admiral Christian Canova was born in 1956 in Algiers, Algeria and
was commissioned into the French Navy in 1976. He received his military
education at the French Naval Academy in 1978, at the United States
Naval War College Newport, RI USA in 1994 and at the Royal
College of Defence Studies, London UK in 2000. He speaks an American
English and some Italian. As an Anti Submarine Warfare specialist, he
spent the first part of his career in combat
information centres onboard destroyers and frigates during the Cold War
from 1980 to 1989. Then, he became familiar with crisis operations “from
the sea” (Lebanon 1983, Libya 1984,Persian Gulf 1990-1994, Somalia 1991
and West Africa 1999-2003). He was also involved in
humanitarian and constabulary operations as commanding officer or senior
leader (Guyana 1998, Caribbean 1999, Somalia 2011). He commanded five
years at sea: corvette “D’Estienne d’Orves” in 1992, frigate “Ventose”
in
1998 and amphibious & command ship “Foudre” in 2001. His staff
experience includes procurement duties on ASW weapons, a tour at
the US Naval Doctrine Command in Norfolk, Va USA then at the French
Joint Staff in Paris (NATO-EU policy desk), and as senior staff officer
for the French Military Representative to NATO Military Committee in
Brussels. He was assigned from 2005 to 2010 to NATO Supreme Allied
Commander Transformation (SACT) HQs in Norfolk,VA as Senior French
National Representative and, on promotion to Rear Admiral in September
2007 as SACT Flag Officer for Research, Technology & Capability
Development.
Upon his return to Paris in September 2010, he became General Inspector
of the French Navy but was deployed six months in Northwood, UK as
Deputy Commander of the EU Operation ATALANTA.
He was promoted Vice Admiral on January 1st 2012 then assigned on
September 1st 2012 as Deputy
Commander NATO MARCOM Northwood,UK and elevated to the rank of Vice
Amiral d’Escadre.
Christian married Corinne Senelle 34 years ago. They have three grown up
children living abroad.
Christian is a Cuban cigar smoker; he enjoys hiking and rugby but
unfortunately no longer plays