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