View source for Yousef Huneiti

{{Short description|Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF)}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix =
| name          = Yousef Huneiti
| honorific_suffix =
| image         = Major General Yousef Huneiti in 2024 (cropped).jpg
| caption       = Yousef Huneiti in 2024
| native_name   = يوسف الحنيطي
| native_name_lang = Arabic
| birth_name    = Yousef al-Huneiti
| other_name    =
| nickname      =
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1959|3|2|df=yes}}
| birth_place   = [[Amman]], [[Jordan]]
| death_date    = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} death date first, then birth date -->
| death_place   =
| module        = {{Infobox military person | embed=yes
| allegiance    = {{flag|Jordan}}
| branch        = {{air force|Jordan}}
| serviceyears  = 1978-
| rank          = [[Jordanian military ranks|Major General]]
| servicenumber = <!-- Do not use data from primary sources such as service records -->
| battles_label =
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}}
| unit          =
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}}
[[Jordanian military ranks|Major General]] '''Yousef Huneiti''' ([[Arabic]]: يوسف الحنيطي, [[Romanization|romanized]]:''Yūsuf al-Ḥunaiṭī;'' born 2 March 1959). is the current [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces|Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]] of the [[Jordanian Armed Forces]] (JAF). He was appointed to this position on 24 July 2019 by Royal Decree.<ref>{{cite web |date=24 July 2019 |title=اللواء يوسف الحنيطي رئيسا لهيئة الأركان المشتركة |url=https://www.almamlakatv.com/news/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%8A%D9%88%D8%B3%D9%81-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%B7%D9%8A-%D8%B1%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%A7-%D9%84%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%A6%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9-22856 |access-date=24 July 2019 |work=[[Al-Mamlaka]] TV |language=ar}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=24 July 2019 |title=Jordan's King appoints new head of armed forces |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/jordan-s-king-appoints-new-head-of-armed-forces-/1540527 |website=[[Anadolu Agency]]}}</ref> Following the retirement of his predecessor, Lt. Gen. [[Mahmoud Freihat]]. Huneiti's appointment marked a historical milestone, as he is the first officer from the [[Royal Jordanian Air Force]] to ever serve in this role,<ref>{{cite web |date=30 July 2019 |title=Jordanian military gets new chief |url=https://www.janes.com/article/90161/jordanian-military-gets-new-chief |access-date=21 September 2019 |work=Janes}}</ref> traditionally held by army commanders.
== Early life and education ==
Born on 2 March 1959 in [[Amman]], [[Jordan]], Yousef Huneiti joined the [[Royal Jordanian Air Force]] in 1978, beginning his long-standing career in military service. Over the years, he advanced his education with various military courses and leadership programs, solidifying his expertise in military strategy, operations, and defense.
==Military career==
Huneiti's early career was largely based at [[King Hussein Air Base]] in 1978, followed by roles at [[Prince Hassan Air Base]] in 1981 and [[H-4 Air Base]] in 1982. By 1983, he had become a fighter pilot, and in 1989, he was promoted to military trainer.
His leadership capabilities were further demonstrated when he held several key positions:
* '''2003''': Head of the Operations and Plans Division.
* '''2008–2010''': Commander of the aviation division at [[Muwaffaq Salti Air Base]].
* '''2010–2012''': Commander of King Hussein Air College.
* '''2013–2015''': Director of air operations.
In 2015, Huneiti was promoted to [[Jordanian military ranks|Assistant Commander]] of the [[Royal Jordanian Air Force]] for [[Air Defense|Operations and Air Defense]], a role that highlighted his growing influence within the armed forces. In 2016, he reached the apex of his Air Force career by being appointed as [[Jordanian military ranks|Commander]] of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, a position he held until 2019.<ref name="albalqatoday">{{cite web |url=http://www.albalqatoday.com/article/105984 |title=من هو ـ اللواء يوسف الحنيطي .. السيرة الذاتية |website=albalqatoday.com |language=Arabic |date=24 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724181155/http://www.albalqatoday.com/article/105984 |archive-date=2019-07-24 }}</ref>
== Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ==
On 24 July 2019, Huneiti was appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest military post in Jordan, by [[Abdullah II of Jordan|King Abdullah II]]. His appointment underscored the King’s emphasis on modernizing and restructuring the armed forces, ensuring that Jordan's military remains capable of addressing both regional threats and internal challenges. Huneiti's tenure has focused on strengthening the defense infrastructure, maintaining [[national security]], and enhancing Jordan's role in regional stability. He has also been heavily involved in [[Joint military exercise|joint military exercises]] and strategic defense collaborations with [[NATO]], the [[United States]], and neighboring Arab countries
== International Cooperation and Leadership ==
As part of his role, Huneiti has maintained active diplomatic and military relations with several key global partners. He has frequently met with military leaders from the [[United States]], [[France]], [[Canada]], and [[Qatar]] to discuss military cooperation, training programs, and joint operations to bolster regional security.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-25 |title=Army chief welcomes deputy commander of US Central Command |url=https://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/army-chief-welcomes-deputy-commander-us-central-command |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=Jordan Times |language=en}}</ref> Under his leadership, the Jordanian Armed Forces have been modernizing equipment, improving training programs, and enhancing their operational capabilities, particularly in counterterrorism and border defense <ref>{{Cite web |title=Army chief checks on new HQ of JAF General Command |url=https://www.jaf.mil.jo/Activit2En.aspx?NewsId=4122 |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=jnk9c.com}}</ref>
==Personal life==
Huneiti is married and has five daughters and one son. He is known for his humility and dedication to service, often credited for his role in shaping Jordan's modern military strategies and maintaining the country's security amidst ongoing regional tensions<ref name="albalqatoday"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Army chief checks on new HQ of JAF General Command |url=https://www.jaf.mil.jo/Activit2En.aspx?NewsId=4122 |access-date=2024-10-06 |website=jnk9c.com}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Jordanian generals]]
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:People from Amman]]
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