Brigadier General Patrick Goossens

Deputy Director European Air Group Royal Air Force High Wycombe/ Belgian Air Force

 Patrick Goossens was born in Jever (GER) in 1965. He obtains a Master in Applied Economics & Business Administration in the university of Leuven before joining the Air Force in 1987. He earns his wings in 1990. After completing his conversion F-16 in 1991, he is assigned to 350 (F) Squadron in the 1st Fighter Wing of Beauvechain. After graduating the Fighter Weapons Instructor Training (FWIT) in Leeuwarden (NLD) in 1996, he moves with 350 Squadron to the 2nd Tactical Wing of Florennes. He combines the functions of Squadron Operations Officer and Weapons Tactical Training Officer on Wing level. In 1998 he operates over the Balkan in the NATO mission Deliberate Guard and assumes the function of Operations Officer of the mixed BEL/NLD DATF Detachment in Villafranca (ITA).

In 1999 he passes through CAOC Vincenza (ITA) as planner for operation Allied Force/Noble Anvil. In 2000 he flies again over the Balkan & Kosovo for the NATO mission Joint Guardian, this time out of Amendola (ITA). He participates in several evaluations in and out of country as NATO TACEVAL Evaluator. He assumes different planning functions in the national Air & Joint Staffs before being assigned in 2005 as Commander of the BEL/PRT C-130 Detachment to support NATO Operation ISAF VII out KIAI Kabul (AFG). Following his Higher Staff Course in 2006 he becomes Squadron Commander of the 1st Squadron in Florennes. In 2008 he returns to the Air Staff as head of the Section Fighter Ops, period during which he serves a tour in the ISAF Joint Command of Kabul (AFG) as Red Card Holder for the Belgian F-16’s operating out of Kandahar (AFG). In 2011 he is assigned as Flying Group Commander of the 10th Tactical Wing of Kleine Brogel.

During that tour, he passes the cap of 2.500 hours and 20 years on F-16. In 2013 he is assigned head of the Section Air of the Joint Department of Human Resources, period during which he servers in the CAOC Al Udeid (QAT) as Red Card Holder for Belgian F-16 operations, both over Afghanistan and over Iraq & Syria in CJTF Operation Inherent Resolve. After being promoted Colonel in 2016 he becomes Head of Training of the Belgian Air Force. During this tour he qualifies as instructor pilot and graduates from the National Defence College Course in the Royal Higher Institute for Defence in Brussels.

He represents Belgium in several national and international boards, the most significant being the steering boards for the bilateral cooperation with France for the different tracks of advanced pilot training and the Steering Committee of the Euro NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) in Sheppard AFB (USA). In 2020 he is assigned back to the Air Staff, Section Plans, Capability Development, to rework the concept and design of the future pilot training. He leads the joint working group for outsourcing the national Basic Flight Training Capability to industry. He is the Chairman of the Steering Board of NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE) from Jan 2023 till Jun 2024. On 26 Aug 2024 he is promoted Brigadier General and assigned Deputy Director of the European Air Group (EAG) out of RAF High Wycombe (GBR). On 19 Sep 2024 he is appointed Chairman of the Steering Committee of ENJJPT.