GBA Thierry Blanc is graduated from the French Air Force Academy (1989) as an intelligence officer. Regarding academic background, he first obtained an aeronautical engineering degree (Msc) in 1991.

 

In September 1997, he joined aeronautics and space institute (ISAé -Supaéro) in Toulouse and was graduated with a Master degree (Msc) in space technologies in 1999. He took advantage of this training period to get skills in business administration, consulting and finance, and obtained a post-graduate degree.

 

Moreover, he graduated from the war college in 2005, attending the Joint Services Command and Staff College in Great Britain (UK).

 

His first assignment was in Metz in 1993, where he served successively as chief of the technical section and head of intelligence support sections in the Air Intelligence Support and Training Squadron (ESERA 12.054).

In 1999, he was assigned to the Helios Command and Control Ground Segment at the National Space Agency (CNES). He was the senior representative of the Helios system. He was also involved in the design of future military space systems (Telecom, PNT, ISR, SSA).

 

In 2002, he joined the French “National Security Council” (SGDSN) to provide synthesis of scientific and strategic information related to space domain and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). He contributed as an expert to the export process of « sensitive goods » (military assets, sensitive technologies, etc.).

In 2006, he joined the command-control-communication-intelligence division of the French Air Force CSAF’s Staff, and was in charge of numerous conceptual and doctrinal documents (ISR; SSA; C4; UAV; Space Surveillance Radar;…).

 

In September 2008, he was posted in the Satellites Reconnaissance Center (CMOS) where he served as Commander. At the head of this Joint and Multi-National Organization, he was responsible for commissioning many space systems (Helios 2, Pleiades, Cosmo Skymed, Sar Lupe, PHAROS...).

 

From 2011 to 2015, he was assigned in the Air Defence and Air Operations Command as Head of the A7 Branch and then, as the Commander of the Air Force ISR and Space Brigade.

On July 30, 2015, he was posted as Chief of Joint Staff of the French forces stationed in the United Arab Emirates, under the command of « ALINDIEN »: responsibilities over Indian Ocean, 15 countries and National Contingent Commander of French operations (Chammal Operation – OIR) in the Levant (Syria and Iraq).

 

In September 2018, he was appointed as Chief of Staff of the French Joint Space Directorate coordinating some space defense review issues. In September 2019, he became Deputy of the French Space Command in charge of Strategy, Cooperation and Capabilities and Chief of Staff.

 

In September 2021, he was appointed Deputy Commander of the FAF Space Command.

 

Brigadier General Blanc has participated to numerous operations: EPERVIER (Chad), CRECERELLE, SALAMANDRE (former Yugoslavia), HERACLES (Afghanistan) and CHAMMAL (Iraq & Syria). He is officer of “legion d’honneur”, officer of national order of merit. He was referenced for military operations and got awarded by several medal services.