Lars-Bertil Persson

Major General Lars-Bertil Persson (born 19 November 1934) is a retired Swedish Air Force officer. He served as wing commander of the Norrbotten Wing (F 21), as Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff, and as Director General of the National Aeronautical Research Institute.

Early life Persson was born on 19 November 1934 in Lund City Parish, Malmöhus County, Sweden, the son of Ernfrid Persson and his wife Lilly (née Fransson).

Career Persson was commissioned as an officer in the Swedish Air Force in 1956 and attended the Empire Test Pilots' School in England in 1959. He then served as a test pilot at the Swedish Center for Experimental Research (Försökscentralen, FC) at Malmen Airbase in Malmslätt from 1960 to 1968 and as a staff officer in the Defence Staff from 1968 to 1972. Persson was head of the Planning Department in the Defence Staff from 1973 to 1977 when he was promoted to colonel and appointed section chief in the Defence Staff. In 1980, Persson was promoted to senior colonel and was appointed wing commander of the Norrbotten Wing (F 21). Persson also served as Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff from 1982.

Persson was then director general and head of the National Aeronautical Research Institute from 1986 to 1996, and chairman of the Group for Aeronautical Research and Technology in Europe (GARTEUR) from 1996.

Personal life In 1960, he married Eiwor Haglund (born 1936), the daughter of Eric Haglund and Astrid (née Carlsson).

Dates of rank 1956 – Second lieutenant 1958 – Lieutenant 1964 – Captain 1969 – Major 1972 – Lieutenant colonel 1977 – Colonel 1980 – Senior colonel 1982 – Major general

Honours Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences (1980)