Updated: 03-Mar-2004 Who is who at NATO?

Eng./Fr.

National co-vice chairman, NATO C3 Board François NAVILLE Ingénieur général de l’armement 2004 - Ingénieur Général de l’Armement François Naville (IGA) was selected in January 2004 as the General Manager, NATO Air Command and Control System management Agency (NACMA), to succeed General André Nicolau from 1st august 2004. Born on 12 July 1951 in Bonne sur Menoge (Haute-Savoie, France), he entered the Polytechnic military school in 1970 and joined the Armament Corps in 1972. He served with distinction in several functions in the French MOD procurement agency (Délégation générale pour l’armement - DGA). He represented France in various NATO bodies and joined NATO in October 2000 as the National co-vice-chairman of the NATO C3 Board. The C3 acronym in NATO addresses Command, Control and Consultation functions as supported by Communication and Information Systems (CIS), Identification and Navigation systems. The NATO C3 Board manages the NATO C3 Organisation including a number of sub-committees and two agencies. The Mission of the NC3O includes the provision of NATO-wide cost-effective, interoperable and secure C3 capabilities and the development of related concepts, policies and standards. Before joining NATO, IGA Naville served in the French MOD procurement agency (Délégation générale pour l’armement - DGA). His previous position was “Force System Architect” (1997-2000). The Force Systems Staff was created in 1997 when the DGA was reorganised with the aim to improving consistency of future armament programmes. IGA Naville was in charge of the C3I area including surveillance, intelligence, communication and information systems. Previously, he had been Programme Manager of the SCCOA, the French system for command and control of air operations (1994-1997), covering all fixed and deployable ground equipment required for performing operational missions of French Air Force (surveillance, mission planning, communication and information systems). Interoperability between many national and NATO systems was a key aspect. Other duties he fulfilled in his professional career embrace armament programmes (Air defence, airborne radar, research and development), policy and overarching CIS architectures and management of aeronautical test centres in Toulouse and Istres. He acted also as Technical adviser to the French National Armament Director for research and aeronautics business. François Naville entered the Polytechnic military school in 1970 and joined the Armament Corps in 1972. He earned his Fighter Pilot wings in Tours FAF Base in 1976 (1700 flight hours). He is married to Annie Chavanne and is blessed with four children - one daughter and three sons.