Antonios Papaioannou
ex-Force Commander of EUNAVFOR- DIAPLOUS MARITIME SERVICES.

Rear Admiral (Ret) H.N Antonios Papaioannou joined the Hellenic Naval Academy in 1975 and graduated in 1979, as Ensign. He served for many years in Destroyers and Frigates as well as Staff Officer and Chief Director in many posts. As Lt Commander he commanded a corvette for two years whereas he served for two years as Commanding Officer of a Frigate as Captain, he also commanded a frigates squadron. As a Commodore he was assigned as the First Force Commander of European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), in the first EU Naval Operation ?Atalanta?, in Gulf of Aden / Indian Ocean. He participated three times (one as commanding officer), in Red Sea and Persian Gulf operations.

Furthermore, he served in UK as Naval and Defence Attaché, as well as in Brussels, in Western European Union. He has an antisubmarine qualification (USA), and he is a graduate of NATO Defence College. He resigned in September 2010 and his last assignment as Rear Admiral was Director Chief in Resources and Personnel Directorate in Hellenic MOD.