French Naval Aviation | |
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Force maritime de l'aéronautique navale | |
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Founded | 20 March 1912 |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Naval aviation |
Size | 6,800 personnel 178 aircraft[1][2] |
Nickname(s) | Sky Navy 'La Marine du Ciel |
Motto(s) | Honneur, patrie, valeur, discipline |
Commanders | |
Current commander | Contre-amiral Eric Janicot |
French Navy |
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Command |
Components |
Equipment |
Personnel |
History |
Awards |
French Naval Aviation (often abbreviated in French to: Aéronavale (contraction of Aéronautique navale), 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 aircraft 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 titled 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bréguet Atlantique II | France | Turboprop | ASW | 22 | [2] | ||
Dassault Falcon 10 M | France | Jet | Utility | 6 | [2] | ||
Dassault Falcon 50 M | France | Jet | Patrol | 8 | [2] | ||
Dassault Falcon 200 Guardian | France | Jet | Patrol | 5 | [2] | ||
Dassault Rafale M | France | Jet | Multirole | 42[3] | [2][4] | ||
Embraer EMB 121 Xingu | Brazil | Turboprop | Utility | 11 | [2] | ||
Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin | France | Rotorcraft | SAR | 15 | [2] | ||
Eurocopter AS565 Panther | France | Rotorcraft | Utility | 16 | [2] | ||
Grumman E-2C Hawkeye | USA | Turboprop | AEW&C | 3 | [2] | ||
Mudry CAP 10 | France | Propeller | Trainer | 7 | [2] | ||
NHIndustries NH90 Caïman Marine | France | Rotorcraft | ASW/SAR | 27 | [2] | ||
Airbus Helicopters H160 | France | Rotorcraft | ASW/SAR | 6 | [2] |
Structure
![](Https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/French_fleet_air_arm_2013.svg/220px-French_fleet_air_arm_2013.svg.png)
Immediately after the end of World War II, the Aeronavale only had Supermarine Seafire Mk.III (Flottille 1F) and Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers (Flotilles 3F et 4F).
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-2C 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, 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Embarked Air Group (Le Groupe aérien embarqué)[5] | ||||||
4F | Fixed wing | E-2C Hawkeye | Lann Bihoué | Carrier airborne early warning | [6] | |
11F | Fixed wing | Rafale M | Landivisiau | Strike fighter | [7] | |
12F | Fixed wing | Rafale M | Landivisiau | Strike fighter | [8] | |
17F | Fixed wing | Rafale M | Landivisiau | Strike fighter | [9] Ended conversion to Rafale M in June 2016. | |
Rotary | Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin | Hyères | Plane guard | Not part of the GAE. Charles de Gaulle set sail on cruises with two Dauphin helicopters from 35F. | ||
Naval Patrol and Maritime Surveillance Aviation (l'Aviation de patrouille et de surveillance maritime)[10] | ||||||
21F | Fixed wing | Atlantique 2 | Lann Bihoué | Anti-submarine warfare / Naval patrol | [11] Detachments at Dakar and Djibouti. | |
23F | Fixed wing | Atlantique 2 | Lann Bihoué | Anti-submarine warfare / Naval patrol | [12] | |
24F | Fixed wing | Falcon 50 M | Lann Bihoué | Maritime surveillance / Search and rescue | [13] | |
25F | Fixed wing | Falcon 200 Guardian | GAM Faa'a | Maritime surveillance / Search and rescue | [14] Detachment at Nouméa. | |
Shipborne and Shore-based Helicopters (Les hélicoptères embarqués et basés à terre) | ||||||
31F | Rotary | NH90 Caïman | Hyères | Search and rescue | [15] | |
32F | Rotary | Airbus Helicopters H160M Guépard | Lanvéoc | Previously used SA321G Super Frelon.[16] | ||
33F | Rotary | NH90 Caïman | Lanvéoc | Anti-submarine warfare / Search and rescue | [17] | |
34F | Rotary | Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin/NH90 Caïman | Lanvéoc | Anti-submarine warfare | Disbanded 4 September 2020. Planned to re-activate in 2021[18] operating leased SA365M3 Dauphins from Heli-Union and NHV as temporary equipment.[16] To convert to NH90 Caïman.[19] | |
35F | Rotary | Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin SPI | Hyères | Search and rescue | Detachments at La Rochelle, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage[20] and Faa'a. Uses additional leased AS365N3 from Heli-Union.[16] | |
36F | Rotary | Eurocopter AS565 Panther | Hyères | Small ship flights | [21] | |
Support Aviation (l'Aviation de soutien) | ||||||
10S | Rotary/ Fixed wing/UAV | Schiebel S-100 Serval | Hyères | Experimental | [22]Aviation and airborne weapons research and development, evaluation at several locations. | |
22S | Rotary | Dauphin, EC120 Colibri | Lanvéoc | Rotary operational training / Liaison | ||
28F | Fixed wing | Embraer Xingu | Lann Bihoué | Naval patrol and maritime surveillance operational training / Utility / Liaison | [23] | |
50S | Fixed wing | SR20 and CAP-10 | Lanvéoc | Elementary flying training | [22] | |
57S | Fixed wing | Falcon 10 M | Landivisiau | Combat aviation operational training | [24] |
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Two Super Étendard, two Rafale fighters and an E-2C Hawkeye at the 2010s French Naval Aviation Centenary Airshow
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Rafale fighter on the flight deck of Charles de Gaulle at dawn
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Rafale fighters on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle
-
Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft
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Lynx WG13 helicopter armed with a Mk46 torpedo on the deck of a frigate
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Offshore rescue by French Navy Dauphin helicopter
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Panther helicopter lifts off the deck of Guépratte
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Dassault Falcon 10MER of Escadrille 57S at BAN Nîmes-Garons.
Retired aircraft
This is a list of retired aircraft that has flown with French Naval Aviation.[25]
- Amiot AAC.1 (Junkers Ju 52)
- Avro Anson
- Avro Lancaster Mk.VII
- Beechcraft SNB-5/JRB-4
- Blanchard Brd.1 HB3
- Blériot-SPAD S.42
- Bloch MB.151 C1
- Borel-Odier T BO-2
- Breguet BRE.14B2/A2
- Breguet BRE.19 B2
![](Https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/French_TBM-3E_of_Flotille_4F_in_flight_1950s.jpg/220px-French_TBM-3E_of_Flotille_4F_in_flight_1950s.jpg)
- Bréguet 521 Bizerte
- Bréguet 1050 Alizé
- Bréguet 1150 Atlantic
- CAMS 30E
- CAMS.37A/37²/37.11/Lia
- CAMS 46 Et2
- CAMS 55.1/55.2/55.6/55.10
- Caudron Cau 59 ET2
- Caudron C635 Simoun
- Caudron C.445 Goéland
![](Https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/F4U-7_NAN3-53.jpg/220px-F4U-7_NAN3-53.jpg)
- Canadian Car & Foundry Harvard II
- Chance Vought F4U-7/AU-1 Corsair
- Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina
- Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
- Coutant RMC Type 17
- Curtiss SB2C4/SB2C5 Helldiver
- Dassault Étendard IVM/P
- Dassault MD 312 Flamant
- Dassault Super Étendard
- De Havilland 100 Vampire Mk.V
- Dewoitine 7 C1
- Dewoitine D.373/D.376
- Dewoitine D.510
- Dewoitine D.520
- 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
- Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless
- Douglas C-47D Dakota
- Farman Lévy HB2 450 hp
- Farman F60 Torp Goliath/F65
- Farman F.165/F.166/F.168 Torp
- Farman F.223.4
- FBA Type C
- FBA Type H
- FBA Type S
- FBA type 14 HE2
- FBA.17HL1/HL2/HMT2/HE2
- FBA.19HMB2
- Fouga CM.175 Zéphyr
- Georges Lévy 280 HB.2
- Gourdou Leseurre ET1 Type 22
- Gourdou Leseurre LGL.32
- Gourdou Leseurre GL.810/811/812/813 HY
- Gourdou Leseurre GL.832 HY
- Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat
- Grumman TBM-3S/E/W/UT Avenger
- Grumman JRF-5 Goose
- Hanriot HD.2 C.1
- Hanriot HD.3 C.2
- Hanriot HD.14 E.2
- Hanriot HD.17 E.2
- Hanriot H.41
- Junkers Ju 188
- Latécoère 290
- Latécoère 298
- Latham 43 HB.3
- Levasseur PL.4 R3b
- Levasseur PL.5 C2b
- Levasseur PL.7 T2B2b
- Levasseur PL.10 R3b/PL.101 R3b
- Levasseur PL.14 Tb2B2
- Levasseur PL.15 T2B2
- Lévy Besson 200 hp
- Lioré et Olivier LeO.7.3
- 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
- Lockheed P2V-1 Ventura
- Lockheed P2V-6/7 Neptune
![](Https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/P5M-2_Aeronavale_VP-44_training_NAN7-59.jpg/220px-P5M-2_Aeronavale_VP-44_training_NAN7-59.jpg)
- Loire 130 C.l
- Loire 210
- LTV/Vought F-8E(FN) Crusader
- Martin 167-A3
- Martin P5M-2 Marlin
- 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
![](Https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/Lockheed_P2V-7_Neptune_A%C3%A9ronavale_148335_-_Flotille_25F_%289642397665%29.jpg/220px-Lockheed_P2V-7_Neptune_A%C3%A9ronavale_148335_-_Flotille_25F_%289642397665%29.jpg)
- Morane Saulnier MS760 Paris
- Nieuport IV.H
- Nieuport VI.H
- Nieuport 12
- 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 452
- Potez 567
- Potez 631 C3
- Salmson Sal.2 A2
- SCAN 20
- Short Sunderland Mk.III/V
- SNCAC/Farman NC.470
- SNCAC NC.701/NC.702 Martinet
- SNCAN N.1001/N.1002 Pingouin
- SNCAN N.1101 Noralpha
- SNCAN N.1402 Noroit
- 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 Baby/130hp Clerget
- Sopwith Triplan C.1
- SPAD S.VII C.1
![](Https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/French_F-8E%28FN%29_Crusader_in_flight_over_the_Med_1976.jpeg/220px-French_F-8E%28FN%29_Crusader_in_flight_over_the_Med_1976.jpeg)
- SPAD S.XIII C.1
- SPAD XIV Canon
- Stinson 105
- Supermarine Seafire Mk.III/IX/XV
- Supermarine Sea Otter
- Supermarine Walrus
- Tampier T.4
- Taylorcraft L-2
- Tellier Canon 200 hp
- Tellier 200 hp
- Tellier 350Hp
- Tellier BM 400 hp
![](Https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/CanardVoisin.jpg/220px-CanardVoisin.jpg)
- Villiers Vil.2AM C.2
- Vickers Wellington
- Voisin L
- Voisin Canard
- Voisin III
- Voisin VIII
- Vought V.156-F
- Wibault Wib.74 C.1
Helicopters and autogyros
- Aérospatiale Alouette II
- Aérospatiale Super Frelon
- Bell 47
- LeO C-30
- Lynx Mk.4(FN)[26]
- Piasecki H-21C
- Piasecki HUP-2
- Sikorsky H-51
- Sikorsky S-55
- Sikorsky S-58
- Sud-Aviation HSS-1
See also
References & notes
- ^ "World Air Forces 2019". Flightglobal: 16. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Defence Key Figures: 2016 Edition". Defense.gouv.fr. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016. (download PDF file or see HTML version Archived 6 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine)
- ^ "Press Conference" (PDF). Dassault Aviation. 19 July 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 July 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
- ^ "Press Conference" (PDF). Dassault Aviation. 26 July 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Le groupe aérien embarqué" (in French). Marine Nationale. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "L'aviation de patrouille et de surveillance maritime" (in French). Marine Nationale. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b c AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. October 2022. p. 68.
- ^ "Flottilla 33F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ^ Allport, Dave (October 2020). "French Navy retires Lynx". Air International. Vol. 99, no. 4. p. 11. ISSN 0306-5634.
- ^ "Flottilla 34F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ^ "Flottilla 35F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ^ "Flottilla 36F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ^ a b AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. October 2022. p. 66.
- ^ "Flottilla 28F". French Navy. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ^ "Escadrille 57S" (in French). Ministère des Armées. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
- ^ "Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
- ^ Grolleau, Henri-Pierre (8 September 2020). "French Navy retires Lynx from service". janes.com.
External links
- French Fleet Air Arm, about French naval aviation.
- (fr) Association pour la Recherche de Documentation sur l'Histoire de l'Aéronautique Navale (ARDHAN), Association for Documentation Research on the History of French Naval Aviation.