Major General Fanica Carnu was appointed as Chief of Air Force Staff during a ceremony attended by the Minister of National Defence Gabriel Oprea, organized at the Air Force Staff location, on Friday, January 7.

The ceremony was also attended by state secretaries Viorel Oancea and Mihail Vasile-Ozunu, the Chief of General Staff, Major General Stefan Danila, generals and officers of the defence ministry, defence attaches of NATO member countries.

During the ceremony, the Presidential decree was read that stipulated the promotion to the rank of four- star General of Lieutenant General Ion-Aurel Stanciu and his subsequent retirement as well as the order of the defence minister for the vesting of Major General Fanica Carnu with his new office. The old chief of Air Force Staff handed over and the new chief of staff took over the command of the Air Force Staff and its Colours.


In his speech, defence minister Gabriel Oprea spoke highly of the activity of General Ion-Aurel Stanciu while he was chief of the Air Force Staff saying he was convinced the ongoing projects would be seen through by Major General Carnu, whom he wished a successful activity.

'The Romanian Armed Forces proved, even in this year marked by the world economic crisis, that they are capable of acting up to their international commitments and still conduct the planned national training missions. Air Police missions conducted in a faultless manner, night and day, troops and material transport in the theaters of operations, the first two new aircraft C-27J SPARTAN, the establishment of a military ER, with significant contributions from the Air Force, other accomplishments of the Air Forces are so important as they have been accomplished with limited resources', the defence minister emphasized.

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Major General Fanica Carnu was born on November 5, 1955 in Popesti, Vrancea County. He graduated from the pilot class of the Air Force school, in 1977. He started his military career as pilot and pilot commander in an Air Force fighter regiment. He was commander of different structures in the General Staff and the Air Force Staff. Until January 7, he was the Representative of the General Staff at SHAPE.

MoND Press Office