Colonel Susana Marina da Conceição Pereira Abelho entered the Air Force Academy on 7 September 1992, graduating in Aeronautical Military Sciences – Aeronautical Engineering in 1997. In January 2004, she completed a Master’s degree in Management at the Higher Institute of Economics and Management and in June 2008, a Postgraduate degree in Peace and War Studies in New International Relations at the Autonomous University of Lisbon. In July 2015, she completed the Joint Staff Course. Over the years, she has attended various technical courses and professional qualification training programs.
She began her career as an engineering project manager for the SA330 Puma Weapon System and later for the C-130 Weapon System (1999 – 2002), serving as manager of the C-130 Weapon System during the periods 2002 – 2003 and 2005 – 2007. She held the position of Quality and Environmental Officer at Air Base No. 4 between 2003 and 2005 and was Head of the Quality and Environmental Office at Air Base No. 6 between 2011 and 2014. After completing the Joint Staff Course, she was assigned to the Military University Institute where she served as a lecturer in the Air Force Specific Teaching Area and the Strategy Area. In August 2017, she returned to the Air Force to take on the role of Head of the 3rd Division of the Directorate of Weapons Systems Maintenance, responsible for managing helicopter fleets. From December 2018 to March 2020, she served as Deputy Director of the Coordination Office for the Mission within the scope of Rural Fires, managing various contracts in this context. From July 2020 to December 2023, she was Defence Attaché at the Embassy of Portugal in Ankara.
Since 1 February 2024, she has been working at the Directorate-General of National Defence Resources, responsible for the EU SST project within the Defence structure.
Colonel Susana Abelho is married and has two children.
