Commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force

The Commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (C-LSK) (Dutch: Commandant Luchtstrijdkrachten) is the highest-ranking officer of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. He reports directly to the Chief of the Netherlands Defence Staff (CDS).

The position of C-LSK was created on 5 September 2005 as part of a thorough reorganization within the Dutch Ministry of Defence in which the staffs (military and civilian) where reduced in size and an entire organizational layer was dropped. Before September 2005 the commanding officer of the Air Force was the Bevelhebber der Luchtstrijdkrachten (abbreviated BDL; the term also translates into English as Commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force).

The Commander of the Royal Netherlands Air Force is statutorily a lieutenant general (NATO designation OF-8) and is the head of the Air Force Command (CLSK). He is responsible for preparation, operational command and completion of Air Force operations. In addition, at the request of the CDS, the C-LSK can take (joint) command of air operations carried out together with other branches of the Dutch armed forces or foreign militaries. And, also at the request of the CDS, he is permitted to render Air Force support to civilian authorities (foreign and domestic) to maintain the rule of law, combat disasters and provide humanitarian aid, transport patients or fight fires (as in forest fires; not political fires).

Commanders of the Royal Netherlands Air Force

 * 1954 - 2005
 * 1954 - 1956 Anton Baretta
 * 1956 - 1961 Heije Schaper
 * 1961 - 1965 Hein Zielstra
 * 1965 - 1970 Bertie Wolff
 * 1970 - 1973 Flip van der Wolf
 * 1973 - 1976 Hans Knoop
 * 1976 - 1981 Rien Geschiere
 * 1981 - 1985 Cas Baas
 * 1985 - 1989 Fred de Jong
 * 1989 - 1992 Willy Cornelis Louwerse
 * 1992 - 1995 Heinz Manderfeld
 * 1995 - 2000 Ben Droste
 * 2000 - 2004 Dick Berlijn
 * 2004 - 2005 Dirk Starink


 * 2005 - present
 * Lieutenant-General Hans de Jong (5 September 2005 – 29 May 2008)
 * Lieutenant-General Jac Jansen (29 May 2008 – 9 March 2012)
 * Lieutenant-General Sander Schnitger (9 March 2012 – 10 June 2016)
 * Lieutenant-General Dennis Luyt (10 June 2016 – present)