Education
He joined the French Air Force academy in 1979 where he completed a Master’s degree of Science in 1981.
He joined the French Air Force academy in 1979 where he completed a Master’s degree of Science in 1981.
He was appointed on 17 September 2012. On September 30, 2015, he has succeeded General Paloméros and became Supreme Allied Commander Transformation of North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Qualified as a fighter pilot in 1983, he acquired extensive experience both as an operational commander and as a fighter pilot, having flown a total of more than 3000 flying hours primarily on Mirage F1C and Mirage 2000C aircraft, including 182 hours in combat missions. Above all, North Atlantic Treaty Organization has been a constant throughout his career, at the tactical, operational and strategic level
Indeed, he commanded the 1/12 "Cambrésis" Fighter Squadron, a founding unit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Tiger association.
He participated in numerous other North Atlantic Treaty Organization exercises and operations, including Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1994. Subsequently, he served in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization department of the French Joint Operational Planning Headquarters, working as a project officer for Exercise "Strong Resolve ’98", during which he embarked aboard United States Ship Mount Whitney as director of Joint Fires.
In 1999, he integrated the operational planning of French participation in North Atlantic Treaty Organization Operation Allied Force in Kosovo. Posted from 1999 to 2002 as deputy head of the combined joint task force deputy branch at Regional Headquarters AFNORTH, in Brunssum (Netherlands), he contributed to the development of the Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) concept.
He also acted as liaison officer for the CJTF Headquarters COMSTRIKFLTLANT (Commander Striking Fleet Atlantic) stationed in Norfolk.
Back in France, he was appointed as the commander of Reims Air force base, integrating the Mirage F1CR squadrons under his command into ISAF in Afghanistan. He then commanded the French Air Force Academy in Salon-de-Provence, where he was a transformative leader, fostering enduring partnerships with allies and prestigious universities. Following his nomination as senior military advisor for the minister of Defence in 2010, General Mercier prepared and participated in all North Atlantic Treaty Organization ministerial meetings between 2010 and 2012, as well as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summits of Lisbon and Chicago.
Moreover, he was the minister"s special advisor for Operation Unified Protector over Libya.
He has been awarded the rank of Commander of the French Legion of Honor. He is also, among other distinctions, an officer of the National Order of Merit.
He was a member of the combined analysis team for Exercise "Allied Effort "01" and an evaluator of the CJTF Headquarters for Exercise "Strong Resolve "02".