French Naval Aviation
Force maritime de l'aéronautique navale French Naval Aviation | |
---|---|
Cockade of Naval Aviation. The naval anchor on this insignia was generalized between 1940 and 1945. | |
Founded | 1912 |
Country |
|
Branch |
|
Type | Naval aviation |
Size | 6800 personnel; 179 aircraft[1] |
Nickname(s) |
Sky Navy La Marine du Ciel |
Motto(s) | Honneur, patrie, valeur, discipline |
Anniversaries | March 20, 1912 |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Contre-amiral Guillaume Goutay |
|
French Naval Aviation (often abbreviated in French to: « l'Aéronavale », or « Aviation navale » or more simply « l'Aéro ») is the naval air arm of the French Navy. The long-form official designation is Force maritime de l'aéronautique navale. Born as a fusion of carrier squadrons and the naval patrol air force, the Aéronavale was created in 1912. The force is under the command of a flag officer officially named Admiral of Naval Aviation (ALAVIA) with his headquarters at Toulon naval base. It has a strength of around 6,800 military and civilian personnel. It operates from four airbases in Metropolitan France and several detachments in foreign countries or French overseas territories. Carrier-borne pilots of the French navy do their initial training at Salon-de-Provence Air Base after which they undergo their carrier qualification with the US Navy.
Aircraft inventory
Type | Origin | Class | Role | Introduced | In service | Total | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aérospatiale Alouette III | France | Rotorcraft | Utility | 18 | Retired.[2][3][1] | ||
Breguet Atlantique II | France | Propeller | MPA | 22 | [1] | ||
Dassault Falcon 10 M | France | Jet | Utility | 6 | [1] | ||
Dassault Falcon 50 M | France | Jet | Patrol | 8 | [1] | ||
Dassault Falcon 200 Guardian | France | Jet | Patrol | 5 | [1] | ||
Dassault Rafale M | France | Jet | Multi-role | 41[4] | [1][5] | ||
Embraer EMB 121 Xingu | Brazil | Propeller | Utility | 11 | [1] | ||
Eurocopter SA365 Dauphin | France | Rotorcraft | SAR | 8 | [1] | ||
Eurocopter AS565 Panther | France | Rotorcraft | Utility | 16 | [1] | ||
Grumman E-2C Hawkeye | USA | Propeller | AEW&C | 3 | [1] | ||
Mudry CAP 10 | France | Propeller | Trainer | 7 | [1] | ||
NHIndustries NH90 Caiman Marine | France | Rotorcraft | Attack/SAR | 21 | [1] | ||
Westland Lynx | UK | Rotorcraft | Attack | 16 | [1] |
Structure
Components
The flight personnel of the French Navy falls into three categories: fighter aviation, fixed-wing aviation and helicopter aviation.
Operationally the French Naval Aviation has four components:
- Embarqued Air Group (Le Groupe aérien embarqué) of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle: Rafale M, E-2 Hawkeye
- Naval Patrol and Maritime Surveillance Aviation (l'Aviation de patrouille et de surveillance maritime): Atlantique 2, Falcon 50, Falcon 200
- Shipborne and Shore-based Helicopters (Les hélicoptères embarqués et basés à terre): Dauphin, Panther, Lynx, Alouette III, Caïman Marine
- Support Aviation (l'Aviation de soutien): Falcon 10, EMB-121 Xingu, SR20, Cap-10, Dauphin, EC120 Colibri
Units
Operational squadrons are known as Flottilles and normally consist of 12 aircraft :
- 1F to 10F are carrier based anti-submarine squadrons
- 11F to 20F are fighter and attack squadrons
- 21F to 30F are maritime patrol squadrons
- 31F to 39F are helicopter squadrons
Shore-based training and transport squadrons are known as Escadrilles de Servitude :
- 1S to 19S are communications squadrons
- 20S to 29S are helicopters squadrons
- 50S to 59S are training squadrons
Squadron | Insignia | Type | Aircraft | Base | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Embarqued Air Group (Le Groupe aérien embarqué)[6] | ||||||
4F | Fixed wing | E-2C Hawkeye | Lann Bihoue | Carrier Airborne Early Warning | [7] | |
11F | Fixed wing | Rafale M | Landivisiau | Strike Fighter | [8] | |
12F | Fixed wing | Rafale M | Landivisiau | Strike Fighter | [9] | |
17F | Fixed wing | Rafale M | Landivisiau | Strike Fighter | [10] Ended conversion to Rafale M on June 2016. | |
Det. PEDRO | Rotary | Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin | Hyères | Plane guard | Not part of the GAE. The Charles de Gaulle sets sail to cruises with 2 Dauphin helicopters from 35F. | |
Naval Patrol and Maritime Surveillance Aviation (l'Aviation de patrouille et de surveillance maritime)[11] | ||||||
21F | Fixed wing | Atlantique II | Lann Bihoue | Anti-Submarine Warfare / Naval patrol | [12] Detachments at Dakar and Djibouti. | |
23F | Fixed wing | Atlantique II | Lann Bihoue | Anti-Submarine Warfare / Naval patrol | [13] | |
24F | Fixed wing | Falcon 50 M | Lann Bihoue | Maritime surveillance / Search and Rescue | [14] | |
25F | Fixed wing | Falcon 200 Guardian | GAM Faa’a | Maritime surveillance / Search and Rescue | [15] Detachment at Nouméa. | |
Shipborne and Shore-based Helicopters (Les hélicoptères embarqués et basés à terre) | ||||||
31F | Rotary | NH90 Caiman | Hyeres | Search and Rescue | [16] | |
33F | Rotary | NH90 Caiman | Lanveoc | Anti-Submarine Warfare / Search and Rescue | [17] | |
34F | Rotary | Westland Lynx | Lanveoc | Anti-Submarine Warfare | To convert to NH90 Caiman.[18] | |
35F | Rotary | Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin, Alouette III | Hyeres | Search and Rescue | Detachments at La Rochelle, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage[19] and Faa’a. | |
36F | Rotary | Eurocopter AS565 Panther | Hyeres | Small ship flights | [20] | |
Support Aviation (l'Aviation de soutien) | ||||||
10S | Rotary/ Fixed wing/UAV | Alouette III, Westland Lynx, Schiebel S-100 Serval | Hyeres | Experimental | Aviation and airborne weapons research and development, evaluation at several locations. | |
22S | Rotary | Dauphin, EC120 Colibri | Lanveoc | Rotary operational training / Liaison | ||
28F | Fixed wing | Embraer Xingu | Lann Bihoue | Naval patrol and maritime surveillance operational training / Utility / Liaison | [21] | |
50S | Fixed wing | SR20 and CAP-10 | Lanveoc | Elementary flying training | ||
57S | Fixed wing | Falcon 10 M | Landivisiau | Combat aviation operational training | [22] |
Gallery
- Insignia of pilots of Naval aviation.
- Arm insignia of personnel of Naval aviation.
- Two Super Étendard, two Rafale fighters and a E-2C Hawkeye at the 2010s French Naval Aviation Centenary Airshow
- Rafale fighter on the flight deck of Charles de Gaulle at dawn.
- Rafale fighters on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle
- Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft
- Lynx WG13 helicopter armed with a Mk46 torpedo on the deck of a frigate
- Offshore rescue by French Navy Dauphin helicopter
- Panther helicopter lifts off the deck of Guépratte
Retired Aircraft[23][24]
- Blanchard Brd.1 HB3
- Borel-Odier T BO-2
- Bréguet 521 Bizerte
- CAMS 30E
- CAMS.37A/37²/37.11/Lia
- CAMS 46 Et2
- CAMS 55.1/55.2/55.6/55.10
- Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina
- Coutant RMC Type 17
- Donnet-Denhaut 140/150 hp
- Donnet-Denhaut 160 hp
- Donnet-Denhaut 200 HP HS Triplace/RR/BB
- Donnet-Denhaut 275hp
- Donnet-Denhaut bimoteur
- Dornier Do 24T
- Farman Lévy HB2 450 hp
- Farman F60 Torp Goliath/F65
- Farman F.165/F.166/F.168 Torp
- FBA Type C
- FBA Type H
- FBA Type S
- FBA type 14 HE2
- FBA.17HL1/HL2/HMT2/HE2
- FBA.19HMB2
- Georges Lévy 280 HB2
- Gourdou Leseurre GL.810/811/812/813 HY
- Gourdou Leseurre GL.832 HY
- Grumman JRF-5 Goose
- Hanriot HD.2 C1
- Hanriot HD.3 C2
- Hanriot HD.14 E2
- Hanriot HD.17 E2
- Latham HB3 Type 43
- Latécoère 290
- Latécoère 298
- Levasseur PL.14 Tb2B2
- Levasseur PL.15 T2B2
- Lévy Besson 200 hp
- Lioré et Olivier LeO.20 Bn3
- Lioré et Olivier H.13/H.136
- Lioré et Olivier H.43
- Lioré et Olivier H.193
- Lioré et Olivier H.257 Bis/H258
- Loire 130 Cl
- Loire 210
- Martin P5M-2 Marlin
- Nieuport IV.H
- Nieuport VI.H
- Nieuport 12
- Potez 452
- SCAN 20
- Short Sunderland Mk.III/V
- SNCAC/Farman NC.470
- SNCAN N1402 Noroit
- Sopwith 130hp Clerget
- SPAD XIV Canon
- Supermarine Sea Otter
- Supermarine Walrus
- Tellier Canon 200 hp
- Tellier 200 hp
- Tellier 350Hp
- Tellier BM 400 hp
- Voisin 13,5m
- Voisin Canard
- Amiot AAC.1 (Junkers Ju 52)
- Avro Anson
- Avro Lancaster Mk.VII
- Beechcraft SNB-5/JRB-4
- Blériot-SPAD S.42
- Bloch MB.151 C1
- Breguet BRE.14B2/A2
- Breguet BRE.19 B2
- Bréguet 1050 Alizé
- Bréguet 1150 Atlantic
- Caudron Cau 59 ET2
- Caudron C635 Simoun
- Caudron C.445 Goéland
- Canadian Car & Foundry Harvard II
- Chance Vought F4U-7/AU-1 Corsair
- Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
- Curtiss SBC4/SB2C5 Helldiver
- Dassault MD 312 Flamant
- De Havilland 100 Vampire Mk.V
- Dewoitine 7 C1
- Dewoitine D.373/D.376
- Dewoitine D.510
- Dewoitine D.520
- Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless
- Douglas C-47D Dakota
- Farman F.223.4
- Fouga CM.175 Zéphyr
- Dassault Étendard IVM/P
- Gourdou Leseurre ET1 Type 22
- Gourdou Leseurre LGL.32
- Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat
- Grumman TBM-3S/E/W/UT Avenger
- Hanriot HD.14 E2
- Hanriot H.41
- Junkers Ju 188
- Levasseur PL.4 R3b
- Levasseur PL.5 C2b
- Levasseur PL.7 T2B2b
- Levasseur PL.10 R3b/PL.101 R3b
- Lioré et Olivier LeO.7.3
- Lioré et Olivier LeO.20 Bn3
- Lockheed P2V-1 Ventura
- Lockheed P2V-6/7 Neptune
- LTV/Vought F-8E(FN) Crusader
- Martin 167-A3
- Maurice Farman Type 1910
- Morane Saulnier MoS.130 Et2
- Morane Saulnier MoS.149 Ep2
- Morane Saulnier MS.225 C1
- Morane Saulnier MS.230 Et2
- Morane Saulnier MS.406 C1
- Morane Saulnier MS.500/MS.502 Criquet
- Morane Saulnier MS.733 Alcyon
- Morane Saulnier MS760 Paris
- Nieuport N.21/N.23
- Nieuport NiD.62 C1/NiD.622 C1
- Nord 262 Frégate
- North American NAA.57 P2
- North American SNJ-3/4/5
- Piper PA-31 Navajo
- Potez 25 A2/TOE
- Potez 567
- Potez 631 C3
- Salmson Sal.2 A2
- SNCAC NC.701/NC.702 Martinet
- SNCAN N.1001/N.1002 Pingouin
- SCAN N.1101 Noralpha
- SNCAN SV.4C Stampe
- SNCAO/Loire-Nieuport LN.401/LN.411
- SNCASE R.82 Romano
- SNCASE Leo.451
- SNCASE SE.161 Languedoc/Bloch MB.160
- SNCASE Aquilon
- SNCASO/Bloch MB.175
- SNCASO SO.94/95 Corse
- SNCASO SO.30P Bretagne
- SOCATA MS.880 Rallye
- Sopwith Sop.1 A2
- Sopwith Triplan
- SPAD S.VII C1
- SPAD S.XIII
- Stinson 105
- Supermarine Seafire Mk.III/IX/XV
- Tampier T.4
- Taylorcraft L-2
- Villiers Vil.2AM C2
- Vickers Wellington
- Voisin LAP VIII
- Voisin LAS Type Armée III
- Vought V.156-F
- Wibault Wib.74 C1
Helicopters and Autogyros
See also
References & notes
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Defence Key Figures: 2016 Edition". Defense.gouv.fr. (download PDF file or see HTML version Archived September 6, 2015, at the Wayback Machine.)
- ↑ "En attendant le H160, l'armée va louer des Dauphin pour remplacer ses antiques Alouette".
- ↑ http://www.defense.gouv.fr/content/download/511454/8625925/Les%20chiffres%20cle%CC%81s%20de%20la%20D%C3%A9fense%20%C3%A9dition%202017%20EN.pdf
- ↑ https://www.dassault-aviation.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/2/files/2018/07/Dassault-Aviation-Press-Conference-July-19-2018.pdf
- ↑ https://www.dassault-aviation.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/2/files/2017/07/Dassault-Aviation-Press-Conf-July-26-2017.pdf
- ↑ https://www.defense.gouv.fr/marine/dossiers/ban/le-groupe-aerien-embarque
- ↑ "Flotilla 4F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ "Flottilla 11F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ "Flottilla 12F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ "Flottilla 17F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ https://www.defense.gouv.fr/english/marine/dossiers/ban/l-aviation-de-patrouille-et-de-surveillance-maritime
- ↑ "Flottilla 21F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ "Flottilla 23F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ "Flottilla 24F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ "Flottilla 25F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ "Flottilla 31F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ "Flottilla 33F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ "Flottilla 34F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ "Flottilla 35F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ "Flottilla 36F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ "Flottilla 28F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ↑ https://www.defense.gouv.fr/marine/operations/forces/aeronautique-navale/escadrilles/escadrille-57s
- ↑ "Military Factory - Site detailing past and present military systems and technology including aircraft, vehicles, guns and navy vessels of the world". Retrieved 2017-08-22.
- ↑ "Office of the Historian". www.history.state.gov. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aviation navale. |
- French Fleet Air Arm, about French naval aviation.