Image: from Página Oficial da Força Aérea Portuguesa
OPEN CHRONICLE | “The Truth in Every Detail”
By Open Chronicle Staff with Agencies
LISBON — In a significant realignment of the nation’s military hierarchy, General João Cartaxo Alves has been officially named the new Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (CEMGFA). The appointment, proposed by the government and accepted by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, marks the return of an Air Force officer to the supreme command post after a twelve-year hiatus.
The transition of power took place during an official ceremony at the Belém Palace at 7:00 PM today. General Cartaxo Alves succeeds General José Nunes da Fonseca, an Army officer who had led the Armed Forces since 2023.
A New Era for the Air Force and Army
Alongside the top appointment, several key leadership shifts were confirmed:
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Lieutenant-General Sérgio Costa Pereira will succeed Cartaxo Alves as the Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
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General Eduardo Mendes Ferrão has been reappointed as the Chief of Staff of the Army, extending his mandate for an additional two years.
Profile of the New Commander
Born in Almada in 1962, General Cartaxo Alves entered the Military Academy in 1980. His career has been defined by a modernization-first approach. During his tenure as head of the Air Force, he became a vocal advocate for transitioning Portugal’s aerial defense from the aging F-16 fleet to the fifth-generation American F-35 aircraft, citing national sovereignty as a primary driver.
He was also instrumental in the development of the KC-390 and Super Tucano projects. By integrating domestic technology into these Brazilian-made Embraer aircraft to meet NATO and EU standards, Cartaxo Alves managed to generate profit for the Portuguese state while bolstering operational capacity.
Continuity and Experience
The newly appointed Chief of the Air Force, Lieutenant-General Sérgio Pereira, brings extensive international experience to the role, having commanded the UN Helicopter Detachment in East Timor. He previously served as a military advisor to former Prime Minister José Sócrates and worked closely as Cartaxo Alves’ chief of staff.
Meanwhile, General Mendes Ferrão continues his leadership of the Army, backed by a distinguished record of service in NATO and UN missions in Kosovo and the Central African Republic.
This reshuffle signals a clear strategic focus on aerospace capabilities and inter-branch stability as Portugal looks toward a decade of defense modernization.