Enrique Fernández

Brigadier General Enrique Fernández Ambel (Seville, July 14, 1968) began his military career in the Spanish Air Force in July 1985 as a conscript soldier. He later entered the General Air Academy (1988–1993), graduating as a Lieutenant Pilot specialized in Fighter and Attack after completing the Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) program in the United States. Throughout his operational career, he has been stationed at Zaragoza, Talavera la Real and Morón Air Bases, flying EF-18, F-5 and Eurofighter (C-16) aircraft. During this time, he qualified in Electronic Warfare, Fighter and Attack instruction, and flight testing. He has extensive experience in international missions and exercises, including operations in the Balkans (1994–2001), serving as Head of the NATO Baltic Air Policing detachment in Ämari (Estonia), and participating in exercises such as Red Flag, NOMAD, TLP and CAPEVAL. He also completed a six-month deployment in Afghanistan (2011–2012) as Head of the Air Tactical Detachment and TACP teams. After completing the General Staff course, he held positions at the Air Combat Command, the Training Directorate of the Air Force Personnel Command, and in the Bilateral Relations area of DIGENPOL. Internationally, he served at NATO’s Allied Air Command in Izmir (Turkey) as a Commander, and later, as a Colonel, in the Cabinet of the Chairman of the European Union Military Committee. From August 2021 to July 2023, he commanded Morón Air Base and Wing 11. In June 2024, he was promoted to Brigadier General and is currently assigned to the Operations Division of the Air Staff. Brigadier General Ambel has accumulated approximately 3,000 flight hours in fighter aircraft and has received numerous national and international decorations, including NATO and Baltic Air Policing medals, as well as four Aeronautical Merit Crosses, one Military Merit Cross, and a Civil Guard decoration. He holds an operational level of English (Level 6) and an intermediate level of French (Level 3). He is married and has three children.