Source: SIRPA AIR (http://www.defense.gouv.fr/air/)
French Air Force, FAF – Armée de l’Air
Source: SIRPA AIR (http://www.defense.gouv.fr/air/)
This photo especially for Michel « Riri » (Hi, mate!).
Some called this fighter a/c « flat-bottom boat » with amusement, some said that the Earth was round to let the Jaguar take-off, and some others called the Jaguar an « aircraft for men ». Having worked on Mirage F1CRs and Jaguars as well, I was used to using the latter phrase. I loved the F1CR though I’ve always been captivated by the Jaguars’ way of working. This fighter was rough but efficient, and I even dare say « multirole in advance » for the RP36P photo pod fielded Jaguars’ squadrons many times in France and abroad.
Jaguars regularly carried out war missions, and I can easily understand why their pilots and mechanics were proud of having worked on such aircraft. (a special thought for the former 7th and 11th Fighter Wings)
Have a good day Riri, see you, mate!
Source: Photo – SIRPA AIR
Mirages F1CR belonging to the 2/33 Savoie Reconnaissance Squadron.
Seventy French airmen along with fourteen other nations took part in an electronic warfare field test in Sardinia from September 27th to October 17th.
French AWACS
This NATO exercise called « Trial Imperial Hammer » aimed at training the armed forces to fuse information gathered from various inteligence sources – aircraft, radars, satellites. An AWACS from the 702 French Air Force Base at Avord; 2 Mirages F1CR from 2/33 « Savoie » Reconnaissance Squadron at Reims, and a C160 Gabriel from Metz took part in the implementation of this field trial together with the French Navy and the French Army.
C-160 Gabriel
The development of the information management and communication capabilities is critical to ensure support for the operations.
Source et photos: SIRPA AIR (http://www.defense.gouv.fr/air/)
The French Prime minister François Fillon has addressed an official statement this morning:
After the reform, “The French Army will have shed 20 Regiments/Batallions”, The Air Force will have shed 11 Air Bases,and the Navy will have shed “a Fleet Air Arm Base”.
The units or sites concerned are small, medium, and large ones – from tens of people up to 2,502 people as far as Metz AF Base is concerned.
While 83 military sites will close down, it is deemed that around 60 sites will be operationally-meant reinforced. Evreux (Eure) Air Force Base 105 is expected to get a reinforcement up to 800 people.
The French government plans 54,000 jobs to be axed in the Armed Forces and Defense within a seven-year period. The current France strength is 320,000 (without the Gendarmerie). The French Air Force should reach down to 50,000 strength.
You can read the article at this address:
EADS Socata last month announced the first flight of an avionics-upgraded Embraer EMB 121 Xingu of the French Military Air Transport Flight School, based in Avord.
The 1-hour, 15-minute flight validated the system improvements implemented during a 15-month intensive avionics modernization program led by EADS Socata for the French armed forces in-service Xingu fleet.
This avionics upgrade provides the twin-engine Xingu training/transport aircraft with a glass cockpit environment that meets today’s air traffic environment. Its configuration is built around two Sagem Avionics 10-inch ICDS-10 displays for primary flight information and one ICDS-10 multifunction display for engine instrumentation.
Completing the new avionics suite are the Garmin GNS 430 navigation/communications system, a Garmin SL30 communication and navigation set with 8.33 kHz spacing, and a Garmin GTX 330D Mode S transponder with antenna diversity.
The improvement package also will include mission preparation software.
EADS Socata’s flight test program with the upgraded EMB 121 will last three months, and is to involve the rework of a second Xingu from the French Navy to complete the contract’s first installment. A successful conclusion of this work will lead to the start-up of a second contract phase – scheduled through several additional installments, with the supply of avionics kits for retrofit of the French Armed Forces – remaining 39 EMB 121 Xingus.
In service since 1982 with the French Air Force and the French Navy, the EMB 121 Xingu is operated by the Military Air Transport school based in Avord to train transport and patrol aircraft crews from France and certain participating countries. They serve also as liaison aircraft within the French Navy.
« This maiden flight successfully concludes the first installment of this major avionics retrofit program, » stated Raphaël Maître, EADS Socata’s Vice President of Customer Service. « It highlights our know-how in this field, and underscores our ability to offer military customers high-quality service in accordance with program specifications and budgetary envelope. »
Special thanks to FRONTIER INDIA DEFENCE & STRATEGIC NEWS