Vice Admiral Xavier Païtard

French Navy (Ret.) & Defense Advisor to CEOs of Airbus Group and MBDA

 

Admiral Xavier Païtard joined the French Naval Academy in Brest in September 1974. He was commissioned in 1977 on board FS Jeanne D’Arc. His first assignment was on board FS Commandant Bory in the Pacific Ocean, where he gained his Surface Warfare qualifications. Trained then as an embarked fighter pilot, he flew Super-Etendards off the aircraft carriers Foch and Clemenceau in 1981 and 1982. In 1982, he was sent as an exchange pilot within US Navy and flew A-7E off the USS Independence, during which time he flew several combat missions over Grenada in 1983 and over Lebanon in 1984, when he awarded his first Citation. He continued his flying career in French Navy flying Super-Etendards, had command of 11F Attack Squadron and Foch Air Group. He then attended the Naval War College, the Nuclear Engineers School, before further tours in the Navy as Operations Officer on board Clemenceau, Commanding Officer of FS Floréal and Head of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier Programme. In 1999 he was Director of Curriculum Programmes and Developments NATO Defense College in Rome. In 2001 he led the International Relations Cell in the cabinet of Minister of defense. Promoted Rear Admiral in August 2003, he was assigned to Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk Virginia as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff “Future Capabilities research & Technology”. From 2005 to 2010, he was top military advisor to the Minister of Defense in Paris with Mrs Michèle Alliot-Marie and then Mr Hervé Morin. In 2006 he was promoted “vice-amiral d’escadre”. From 2010 to 2012 he was Military Representative to EU and NATO in Bruxelles. In September 2012, he ended his military career after 38 years in service, 3500 flight hours and 550 arresting landings on aircraft-carriers, 180 at night. From 2012 to 2014, Admiral Paitard hold the position of Defense Advisor to the CEO of EADS, he is today Defense Advisor to both CEOs of Airbus Group and MBDA. Admiral Païtard is “Commandeur de la Légion d’Honneur”. He is married and is the father of 09 children.