Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva is a 1987 graduate of the Spanish Naval Academy.
In 1989 he earned his US Navy wings, becoming a Naval Aviator. He then flew the AV-8V PLUS on board the Spanish carrier ‘PRINCIPE DE ASTURIAS.’ During that period, he was also appointed as an exchange pilot with the Spanish Air force, flying the EF-18 A+ and taking part in the B-H conflict, where he flew several combat missions deployed from Aviano AB, Italy.
He has commanded the gun patrol boat ‘P-11 BARCELO’, the high seas patrol boat ‘P-63 ARNOMENDI’, the LST ‘L-42 PIZARRO’, the Fleet Air Arm ‘FLOAN’ and the Airfield of the Rota Naval Base. He was the Director of the Fleet Naval Aviation School and the CO of the 9th HARRIER Squadron. Ashore, he has served in a variety of assignments, most notably as a staff officer in the International Relations Department at the Navy HQ, as ACOS N3 in the SPMARFOR High Readiness Maritime HQ, and as Head of the Operations department at the Spanish Fleet HQ. Abroad he was stationed in Mons, Belgium, serving at SHAPE J5 as the ACO capability requirements and force planning officer; and in Pristina, Kosovo, working as UN peace observer and liaison officer between KFOR HQ and UNMIK HQ.
Additionally, he has attended several national and NATO courses including the NATO perational Planning, NATO Staff Officer Defense Planning and NATO expeditionary operations courses. He graduated with distinction from the US Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, after having completed the Naval Staff and the Naval Command Courses in years 2001 and 2018 respectively. He also obtained a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the same US Naval War College. His academic background is completed with a job as a professor at the High Defense Studies Center in Madrid, Spain.
He was promoted to Rear Admiral on the 5th December 2019. As Flag Officer he has been appointed as 2nd Commander of the Spanish High Readiness Maritime HQ and DCOM SPMARFOR. He was appointed as Force Commander of the EU NAVFOR Somalia Op Atalanta on board the frigates NUMANCIA and SANTA MARIA. On 26 February 2021 he was appointed as COS Spanish Fleet HQ, being promoted to Vice Admiral on 3 November.
He has several national Navy medals, one UN medal, one UE medal, one NATO medal and one SPAF medal, and numerous awards and citations.
He is married to Matilde and has four children.
Rear Admiral Francisco Javier Vázquez Sanz is a 1992 graduate of the Spanish Naval Academy.
He has commanded the gun patrol boat "LAYA", mine hunter "TAMBRE", frigate "NAVARRA" and the Specialist Navy School "LA GRAÑA". In these commands, he participated in diverse operations as "Active Endeavor STROG", an SNMCMG2 deployment, and the command of the NATO TG in a SURGE OPS in the Mediterranean as part of the "Active Endeavor" effort.
On board, he has served in a variety of assignments as the frigates "NUMANCIA" and "REINA SOFIA", amphibious as "PIZARRO", "HERNAN CORTES" and "CASTILLA". In his role of Tactical Action Officer, CIS and ASW SEAHWAK controller, he has participated in up to four NATO Standing Naval Forces deployments and two EUROMARFOR tours, and operations as "Sharp Guard", "Active Endeavor" or "Alba ops" in Albania.
Ashore, he served also in different assignments, most notably as a staff officer in the Joint Operation Command, as J6 leader, with responsibilities in terms of C2 and CIS connectivity, and in the Logistic Branch HQ as leader of the logistic advisory group. In July 2022 he was appointed as Navy HQ, to lead the Armada Digital Transformation.
Abroad he was stationed in Mons, Belgium, serving at SHAPE-PLANS as the ACO capability requirements and force planning officer; and in Tampa, USA, assigned as national liaison officer in the USCENTCOM.
Additionally, he has attended several national and NATO courses including the NATO INFOOPS and the NATO Staff Officer Defense Planning. He's a CIS specialist, Tactical Action Officer and ASW helo controller. He graduated in the Joint Staff War College in 2006.
He was promoted to Rear Admiral in February 2025.
From February to May 2025, he was posted as Operation ATALANTA Deputy Commander.
He has several national, EU and NATO medals, and numerous awards and citations as the SACEUR's Commendation Award.
Born in Cartagena (SPAIN) in 1967, he is married to LtCdr Mónica Cuervo and has two children.