Admiral Jorge Manuel Nobre de Sousa assumed duties as Chief of the Portuguese Naval Staff and National Maritime Authority on December 27, 2024.
Born in 1963, he joined the Naval Academy in 1981, being promoted to Midshipman in 1987, ascending to his present rank on December 27, 2024.
Afloat, Vice-admiral Nobre de Sousa has served as Executive Officer of the patrol boats “Cacine" and “Cunene", assignment upon which he attended the Principal Warfare Officer Underwater course (PWO U). He has then served as PWO U onboard the frigates “Comandante Roberto Ivens" and “Corte-Real", as Executive Officer and Operations Officer onboard the Corvette “Baptista de Andrade", and as Operations Officer onboard the frigate “Corte-Real". He also served at the Portuguese Task Group as Staff Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer. On his last tour afloat, he took command of the frigate “Álvares Cabral".
During his tours afloat, under NATO flag, he joined the STANDING NAVAL FORCE ATLANTIC in four occasions, taking part onboard flagships in operations “SHARP GUARD" and “ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR". As Commanding Officer, he served as flag-captain of Commander STANDING NATO MARITIME GROUP ONE, taking part in operation “OCEAN SHIELD" as flag-captain. He also participated, under Western European Union (WEU) flag, in operation “SHARP VIGILLANCE" and, under national flag, in operation “CRUZEIRO DO SUL".
Ashore, he served at the Public Relations Office of the Chief of the Naval Staff, at the Naval Tactical Centre, as Head of the Under Water Warfare Analysis, Development & Training Department, and at the Fleet Command HQ, as Head of the Communications and Information Systems and of the Naval Operations Divisions, and later as Chief-of-Staff. He also served at the Naval Staff, at the Plans & Policy Division, being responsible for the Strategic and Force Planning sections, and at the NATO HQ Supreme Allied Command Transformation, in Norfolk, as Branch Head Operational C2.
His flag assignments include, as Commodore, Commandant of the Portuguese Marine Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros) and, as Rear-Admiral, Deputy Chief-of-Staff of the Portuguese Joint Operations Command. Promoted to Vice-admiral he become Fleet Commander, assignment upon which he become Chief-of-Staff of the Portuguese Joint Operations Command and later as Deputy Operational Commander of the Portuguese Armed Forces.
Through his career, he has been awarded with the Avis Military Order, Distinguished Services, Military Merit, Naval Cross and Exemplary Conduct national medals, as well with NATO and WEU medals.
