Lieutenant General André Steur

Commander Royal Netherlands Air Force

Lieutenant General André Steur was born on 17 April 1970 in Apeldoorn and began his military career in 1988 at the Royal Military Academy in Breda, completing his Business Administration studies before starting ENJJPT pilot training in the United States. He earned his wings in 1994, completed F‑16 training in Arizona, and joined 312 Squadron at Volkel Air Base. Between 1995 and 2003 he deployed multiple times, including to Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan. In 2001 he graduated cum laude from Fighter Weapons Instructor Training, receiving top awards in overall, air‑to‑air and air‑to‑surface categories, later serving as weapons officer and flight commander. After completing the Intermediate Command and Staff Course, he served as Operations Officer with the USAF 77th Fighter Squadron at Shaw AFB. Returning to the Netherlands in 2006, Steur became Chief of Operations for the F‑35 programme at the Defence Materiel Organisation, leading the 2008 candidate evaluation and preparations for OT&E. Following the Advanced Command and Staff Course, he commanded 312 Squadron and later 313 Squadron, including deployment to Italy for NATO's Operation Unified Protector. He subsequently served as Operations Group Commander at Volkel and later as Chief of Plans Integration and Coordination at Defence Staff. From 2014 to 2016 he commanded Volkel Air Base during operations over Iraq and Syria. Promoted to air commodore, he became Director of Operations of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, contributing to the fifth‑generation air force vision. Promoted to major general in 2019, he became Director of Operational Policy and Plans, helping shape the 2022 Defence White Paper. On 14 April 2023 he became Commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force and completed his F‑35 conversion in 2024.