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106-647: The Armée de l'Air (literally, 'army of the air') is the name used for the French Air Force in its native language since it was made independent of the Army in 1933. This article deals exclusively with the history of the French air force from its earliest beginnings until its destruction after the occupation of France. French naval aviation, the Aéronautique Navale is covered elsewhere. During

212-448: A gun synchronizer by the start of July 1915 , thus changing the way in which the air war was fought, as German and Allied fighter aircraft fought each other in the air, producing "ace" pilots. Some prominent French aces were René Fonck , who became the top-scoring Allied pilot of World War I with 75 enemy aircraft shot down, Georges Guynemer , who was killed after 54 victories, Charles Nungesser , who achieved 43 victories and survived

318-419: A bombing mission against the beaches at Safi, where more U.S. soldiers were landing, the next morning. One of the bombers was damaged and attempted to make a forced landing, only it exploded upon contact with the ground, killing the entire crew. Fighter unit GC I/5 lost four pilots in combat that day (9 November) and it was on that same day that Adjudant (Warrant Officer) Bressieux had the distinction of becoming

424-724: A loading strip was inserted upside down in darkness. Major Julian Hatcher was assigned to look into the issue after Columbus and found almost all the issues were due to inadequate training. U.S. troops during the Villa Expedition received additional training and the M1909 was considered an effective weapon. During service in the Villa Expedition in 1916, the M1909 was fitted with the Model 1908 Warner & Swasey Musket Sight (more well known as an early telescopic sight on

530-571: A mixture of Nieuport 11s , 16s and 17s , when the SPAD S.XIII entered service, they would be redesignated S.124. The entry of the United States into the war resulted in most of their surviving personnel would be transferred to the U.S. Army Air Service (USAAS) in February 1918. The unit's leading ace was French-born American Raoul Lufbery , who shot down 16 enemy aircraft (all but one with

636-400: A new unit tasked with keeping German observation craft from over the French lines. The ad hoc unit commandeered all available Morane-Saulniers and Nieuport 11s , as well as the 15 best pilots regardless of posting. This ad hoc unit patrolling the skies over Verdun was the first French Groupement de Chasse . The Groupement was successful despite Tricornet's death in a mishap. Under

742-513: A parallel of what had happened to Germany's air force in 1919. However, Vichy's air force was spared (for the moment) from non-existence owing to the consequences of an event which would damage, if not completely change, the relationship between occupied France and free Britain. Winston Churchill had no intention of allowing the French Navy's capital ships to remain intact so long as there was any chance of them essentially becoming adjuncts of

848-842: A reduced army and navy, both of which would be only strong enough to maintain order in France and in its colonies. (It is of interest to note that France was allowed to keep her colonies, whereas Germany had been forced to cede all of hers under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, signed in June 1919.) Germany ordered that, with regard to the warplanes that had survived the Battle of France, including those now stationed in Tunisia , Algeria and Morocco , they were to be surrendered, either in whole or else already disassembled, if not destroyed altogether – again

954-485: A total of 19 squadrons of Mirage III, Jaguars, two squadrons flying the Mirage 5 F (EC 2/13 and EC 3/13, both at Colmar ), and a squadron flying the Mirage F.1 CR. CoTAM counted 28 squadrons, of which ten were fixed-wing transport squadrons, and the remainder helicopter and liaison squadrons, at least five of which were overseas. CAFDA numbered 14 squadrons mostly flying the Mirage F.1 C. Two other commands had flying units,

1060-567: A victory for the Allies, even though it was fair to say that the French had no choice but to engage the Americans, otherwise the Americans would (and did) engage them since they were technically enemies. As a result, 12 air force and 11 navy pilots lost their lives in the final four days of combat between (Vichy) France and the Allies during World War II. Barely two weeks later, the Germans invaded

1166-757: Is organized in accordance with Chapter 4, Title II, Book II of the Third Part of the French Defense Code ( French : code de la Défense ), which replaced decree n° 91-672 dated 14 July 1991. Under the authority of the Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force (CEMAAE) in Paris , the Air and Space Force includes: The Air and Space Force headquarters, employing 150 personnel, are located alongside

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1272-683: Is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces . Formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique , a service arm of the French Army , it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the French Air Force. On 10 September 2020, it assumed its current name, the French Air and Space Force, to reflect an "evolution of its mission" into the area of outer space . The number of aircraft in service with

1378-823: The Division Aerienne fought until war's end. By the time of the Battle of Saint-Mihiel , the French could commit 27 fighter squadrons to the effort, along with reconnaissance and bombing squadrons. The 1,137 airplanes dedicated to the battle were the most numerous used in a World War I battle. When the 11 November 1918 armistice came, French air power had expanded to 336 squadrons, 74 of which were SPAD fighter squadrons. France had 3,608 planes in service. Confirmed claims of 2,049 destroyed enemy airplanes included 307 that had been brought down within French lines. French airmen had also destroyed 357 observation balloons . However, 5,500 pilots and observers were killed out of

1484-657: The Groupement d'Unités Aériennes Spécialisées . Also created in 1964 was the Escadron des Fusiliers Commandos de l'Air (EFCA), seemingly grouping all FCA units. The Dassault Mirage IV , the principal French strategic bomber, was designed to strike Soviet positions as part of the French nuclear triad . In 1985, the Air Force had four major flying commands, the Strategic Air Forces Command ,

1590-532: The Fusiliers Commandos de l'Air command was reestablished under a different form. The French Air Force entered a phase of inventory replacement and expansion. The Air Force ordered the Airbus A400M military transport aircraft, then in development. By November 2016, 11 had already been delivered to ET00.061 at Orleans-Bricy, and integration of the new Dassault Rafale multi-role jet fighter

1696-797: The Kriegsmarine (German navy). The last thing he wanted was for the Kriegsmarine to bolstered enough to attempt an invasion of Britain. He implemented the plan – codenamed " Operation Catapult " – for a British fleet, coded " Force H " and based in Gibraltar , to sail to the harbour of Mers-el-Kébir , near Oran in Algeria , where four capital ships and other vessels were stationed, in order to persuade Admiral Marcel-Bruno Gensoul to disobey orders from Vichy and have his vessels sail either to British waters or else to those of French colonies in

1802-691: The königlich-preußische Fliegertruppe . The British Air Battalion Royal Engineers (a precursor to the Royal Flying Corps ), was formed on 1 April 1911. The Armée de l'Air was renamed in August 1933 when it gained operational independence from the Army, much later than for the United Kingdom, but some 14 years earlier than that of the United States. At the start of the First World War ("La Première Guerre mondiale"), France led

1908-762: The Air Force Training Command , and the Air Force Transmissions Command, with four squadrons and three trials units. Dassault Aviation led the way mainly with delta-wing designs, which formed the basis for the Dassault Mirage III series of fighter jets . The Mirage demonstrated its abilities in the Six-Day War , Yom Kippur War , Falklands War , and Gulf War , becoming one of the most popular jet fighters of its day and being widely sold. In 1994,

2014-582: The Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) and front-line pilots in France became responsible for ferrying new aircraft from factories to the squadrons, temporarily depleting front-line strength. On 10 May 1940, the Germans had more aircraft and many aircrews were veterans of the war in Spain. French inter-service rivalry led a Potez reconnaissance aircraft crew, which had spotted a huge concentration of Panzers and supporting infantry units concealed in

2120-594: The Ardennes forests two days after the start of the invasion, not being believed by the army commanders who refused to act on what they called air force scaremongering. The Armée de l'Air was beset by obsolete strategy, tactics, aircraft, weapons and even in communications, and the lack of equipment owing to "technical problems." Both became apparent when the Germans advanced swiftly through France and Belgium. On 11 May, nearly 20 French bombers and over 30 British fighter escorts were shot down attacking German crossings over

2226-737: The Aéronautique Militaire concentrated on reconnaissance with aircraft like the Blériot XI . On 8 October, though, the commander-in-chief, General Barès , proposed a massive expansion to 65 escadrilles. Furthermore, he proposed that four types of aircraft could be used for four different tasks: Morane-Saulnier Ls would be used as scouts, Voisin IIIs as bombers, Farman MF.11s as reconnaissance aircraft, and Caudron G.IIIs as artillery spotters. On October 5, 1914, Sergent Joseph Franz and his mechanic Caporal Louis Quénault became

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2332-416: The Aéronautique Militaire were deemed flying aces for having scored five or more air-to-air victories. The end of war may have brought peace to France, yet the country itself and its infrastructure had been ravaged by four years of warfare, and the scars left behind were not just physical. As a result, it took some time for industry to recover. Not unexpectedly, orders for military aeroplanes dropped after

2438-518: The Battle of Columbus in 1916 (4 guns fired 20,000 rounds total in the engagement), the subsequent Pancho Villa Expedition in Mexico of 1916–17, and initially in France. On the American guns, firing pins and extractors broke frequently. Some members of the U.S. press derisively called the M1909 the "daylight gun" because of the difficulty in replacing broken parts at night and jams caused when

2544-764: The Battle of France in 1940. The Vichy French Air Force had later a significant presence in the French Levant . The engagement of the Free French Air Forces from 1940 to 1943, and then the engagement of the aviators of the French Liberation Army , were also important episodes in the history of the French Air Force. The sacrifices of Commandant René Mouchotte and Lieutenant Marcel Beau illustrated their devotion. After 1945, France rebuilt its aircraft industry. The French Air Force participated in several colonial wars during

2650-710: The Chief of the Defence Staff (CEMA) on the deployment, manner, and use of the Air and Space Force. They are responsible for the preparation and logistic support of the French Air and Space Force. The CEMAA is assisted by a Deputy Chief, the Major Général de l'Armée de l'Air . Finally, the CEMAA is assisted by the Inspectorate of the French Air and Space Force (IAA) and by the French Air and Space Force Health Service Inspection (ISSAA). The Air and Space Force

2756-537: The Chief of the Defence Staff 's offices (EMA) and the Army and Navy headquarters at the Balard armed forces complex in Paris. The new site replaced the former Paris Air Base (BA 117) which served as air staff headquarters until 25 June 2015. The French Air and Space Force has had three commands: two grand operational commands (CDAOA and CFAS) and one organic command (CFA). These last two brigades belonged until 2013 to

2862-522: The Dewoitine D.500 and orders to construct more than 2,500 modern machines, among them the Bloch MB.170 bomber and the Dewoitine D.520 fighter resulted. The inadequacy of the French aeronautical programs, as well as indecision in high command resulted in the French Air Force being in a position of weakness, confronting a modern and well organized Luftwaffe , which had just gained combat experience in

2968-540: The Spanish Civil War . France attempted to respond to the likelihood of another European war via an intensive re-equipment and modernization program in 1938–39, as did other countries desperately in need of new aircraft including Poland whose 1939 orders of 160 MS-406 fighters from France still hadn't been delivered by the German invasion of Poland . Germany production outstripped that of its neighbours, so it

3074-663: The Strategic Air Forces Command , COTAM, the Air Command of Aerial Defense Forces ( Commandement Air des Forces de Défense Aérienne , CAFDA), and the Force aérienne tactique (FATac). In 1964, the Second Tactical Air Command was created in Nancy to take command of air units stationed in France but not assigned to NATO . The Military Air Transport Command had previously been formed in February 1962 from

3180-486: The "Hotchkiss Mark I" and issued to some cavalry regiments. The MkI* variant, with the wooden stock replaced with a pistol grip, was widely used in British tanks during World War I. It was adopted by the United States in 1909 as the "Benét–Mercié Machine Rifle, Caliber .30 U. S. Model of 1909" firing the .30-06 cartridge . It was also used by other countries, including Belgium, Sweden and Mexico. France and Britain used

3286-421: The 17,300 engaged in the conflict, amounting to 31%. A 1919 newspaper article reported that the French Air Force had suffered losses of 61%. Military aeronautics was established as a "special arm" by the law of 8 December 1922. It remained under the auspices of the French Army . It was not until 2 July 1934, that the "special arm" became an independent service and was totally independent. The initial air arm

History of the Armée de l'Air (1909–1942) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3392-539: The 1930s, the French aeronautical industry was primarily composed of small companies such as Latécoère , Morane-Saulnier , Nieuport-Delage and Amiot , each only producing small numbers of aircraft. As a result, the French aeronautical industry proved itself incapable of delivering the aircraft that the annual fiscal budgets had called for which had been greatly increased as a result of Hitler coming to power in January 1933 and his remilitarization of Germany in defiance of

3498-493: The 1960s, there were five air regions (RA). The number was then reduced to four by a decree of 30 June 1962 with the disestablishment of the 5th Aerial Region ( French North Africa ). The decree of 14 July 1991 reduced the air regions to three: « RA Atlantic », « RA Mediterranean » and «  RA North-East ». On 1 July 2000 was placed into effect an organization consisting of « RA North » (RAN) and « RA South » (RAS). The territorial division

3604-532: The Air Force Support Command (CSFA), which maintained the arms systems, equipment, information and communication systems (SIC) as well as infrastructure. The CSFA supported the human element, the military logistics (supply and transport), wherever, previously, forces of the French Air and Space Force operated or trained. These two brigades are now subordinate to the CFA. The official designation of

3710-491: The Air and Space Force (DRH-AAE) recruits, trains, manages, administers, and converts personnel of the Air and Space Force. Since January 2008, the DRH-AAE groups the former Air Force directorate of military personnel (DPMMA) and some tasks of the former Air Force Training Command . The directorate is responsible for Air and Space Force recruitment via the recruiting bureau. French joint defence service organisations, supporting

3816-597: The Allied forces, in which the Vichy French air force took part, took place during Operation Torch , launched on 8 November 1942 as the Allied invasion of North Africa . Facing the U.S. Navy task force headed for Morocco , consisting of the carriers Ranger , Sangamon , Santee and Suwannee , were, in part, Vichy squadrons based at Marrakech , Meknès , Agadir , Casablanca and Rabat , which between them could muster some 86 fighters and 78 bombers. Overall,

3922-480: The Allies and the Treaty of Versailles . Pierre Cot, the secretary of the French Air Force, decreed that national security was too important for the production of warplanes to be left in the hands of the private enterprises that were thus far failing to meet production goals. In July 1936 the French government began nationalizing many of the larger aircraft companies, creating six state-owned companies, which encompassed

4028-658: The Armistice, resulting in reductions being made to squadron strengths. France had a Colonial empire extending around the globe, and it needed to be defended. Anti-Government elements in French Morocco were clamouring to expel the French. On 27 April 1925, therefore, alongside tactical and logistical support, air operations in Morocco were begun owing to the Rif War and they were to continue until December 1934. In

4134-434: The Battle of France are still debated, although it is reasonable to suggest that the French did inflict considerable losses on the Germans. General Albert Kesselring reflected that Luftwaffe effectiveness had been reduced to almost 30 percent of what it had been before the invasion of France. The armistice of 22 June 1940 did not necessarily mean the end of the war for French pilots, those who escaped from France fought on in

4240-562: The British from April 1941, when a coup d'état in Iraq briefly installed the nationalist Rashid Ali Al-Gaylani as prime minister in order to secure the vital oil supplies at Kirkuk (under British control since 1934) in northeastern Iraq for the pro- Axis nationalists who wanted the British to be expelled from the country. However, the RAF base at Habbaniya withstood the nationalists, and in May

4346-564: The British, Indian and Commonwealth " Iraqforce " invaded Iraq via Basra . The ensuing Anglo-Iraqi War ended with Iraqforce defeating the nationalists at the end of May and restoring a pro-Allied government in Iraq. Allied operations during the Anglo-Iraqi War included attacks on Vichy air force bases in Lebanon and Syria , which served as staging posts for Regia Aeronautica and Luftwaffe units flying to Mosul to support

History of the Armée de l'Air (1909–1942) - Misplaced Pages Continue

4452-700: The Empire such as French Indochina after the Second World War. Since 1945, the French Air Force was notably engaged in Indochina (1945–1954). The French Air Force was active in Algeria from 1952 until 1962 and Suez (1956), later Mauritania and Chad , the Persian Gulf (1990–1991), ex- Yugoslavia and more recently in Afghanistan , Mali and Iraq . From 1964 until 1971

4558-479: The Escadrille) prior to his death in action on 19 May 1918. Other American volunteer pilots, including the first black fighter pilot, Eugene Bullard , flew with regular French Aéronautique Militaire escadrilles . By April 1917, the Aéronautique Militaire had 2,870 aircraft with 60 fighter and 20 bomber squadrons and 400 observation aircraft, yet, by October, an even more radical expansion to over 300 squadrons

4664-473: The Far East or even to the (still neutral) USA with a view to preventing them from being used against the Allies. The overture was soundly rejected, so Royal Navy Admiral James Somerville gave the orders to destroy the French vessels. More than 2,000 sailors allegedly died in the attack, carried out on 3 July 1940, which saw one battleship sunk and two others severely damaged. The incident predictably stunned

4770-451: The French Air Force had the unique responsibility for the French nuclear arm via Dassault Mirage IV or ballistic missiles of Air Base 200 Apt-Saint-Christol on the Plateau d'Albion. Accordingly, from 1962, the French political leadership shifted its military emphasis to nuclear deterrence , implementing a complete reorganisation of the Air Force, with the creation of four air regions and seven major specialised commands, among which were

4876-435: The French Air and Space Force (CEMAAE) is a direct subordinate of the Chief of the Defence Staff (CEMA), a high-ranking military officer who in turn answers to the civilian Minister of the Armed Forces . The founding of the Service Aéronautique began in 1909, when the French War Minister approved the purchase of a Wright Biplane . The following year, another Wright biplane, a Bleriot , and two Farmans were added to

4982-413: The French Air and Space Force varies depending on the source; the Ministry of Armed Forces gives a figure of 658 aircraft in 2014. According to 2018 data, this figure includes 210 combat aircraft: 115 Dassault Mirage 2000 and 95 Dassault Rafale . As of 2021, the French Air and Space Force employs a total of 40,500 regular personnel, with a reserve element of 5,187 in 2014. The Chief of Staff of

5088-399: The French Department of War began to send individuals from all branches of the army, especially engineering and artillery, to undergo flying training at civilian schools as "pupil-pilots" ( élèves-pilotes ) such as at Reims and Bron. In March 1910, the Établissement Militaire d'Aviation (EMA) was created to conduct experiments with aircraft and on 22 October 1910 the Aéronautique Militaire

5194-445: The French and gave the Germans a golden propaganda tool to discredit the British as France's real enemies. Vichy and Berlin agreed, if reluctantly, that the Armée de l'Air de Vichy (as it is termed) was still needed in case French interests were to be attacked by the British once again – and, of course, for attacking the British themselves. Goering ordered that all Armée de l'Air aircraft would now be identified by special markings on

5300-675: The French fighter pilots totaled seven confirmed and three probable, yet their losses were considered heavy – five pilots killed, four wounded and 13 aircraft destroyed either in combat or on the ground – when one considers that GC II/5, based in Casablanca, had lost only two pilots killed during the whole of the six-week campaign in France two years before. In the meantime, Wildcats of U.S. Navy Fighter Squadron VF-41 from Ranger strafed and destroyed three U.S.-built Douglas DB-7 bombers of GB I/32, which were being refueled and rearmed at Casablanca, leaving three others undamaged. Nevertheless, having been reinforced by two other bombers, GB I/32 carried out

5406-407: The Hotchkiss M1909 (or Mle 1909 ), firing the 8 mm Lebel , it was adopted by the French military in 1909 but not issued as an infantry weapon. The 700 examples manufactured were used in the fortresses at Verdun in a defensive capacity, on some fighter aircraft, and in Mark V* tanks acquired from Great Britain. A variant to use the .303 round was produced in Britain at the Coventry factory as

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5512-415: The Hotchkiss M1909 through World War I and on into World War II. The Australian Light Horse , the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade , the Imperial Camel Corps , and the Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry used the Hotchkiss in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (1915–17). U.S. forces used the Benét–Mercié at the Battle of Masaya in 1912 , In the 1915 Haitian Campaign , the 1916 Battle of Guayacanas ,

5618-499: The Iraqi nationalist coup . Then in June 1941 British, Commonwealth, Empire and Free French forces invaded Syria and Lebanon . Vichy French air units, some of which were equipped with Dewoitine D.520 fighters and US-built Martin Maryland bombers had initial air superiority, but the Allied invaders inflicted heavy casualties on Vichy air and ground forces. By mid-July the Allied invasion was victorious and put Syria and Lebanon under Free French control. The last major battles against

5724-464: The Meuse river. French fighter and bomber strength was rapidly depleted in May as Luftwaffe fighters and Flak shot down aircraft, which attacked the advancing Germans. Squadrons were often out of contact with any French army units that they were supposedly supporting, partly to the poor coordination of communication between the army and the air force and partly to the outdated, unreliable army communications equipment being used. As it became clear that

5830-405: The Royal Air Force, ultimately the Free French Forces ( Forces Françaises Libres ) and the Armée de l'Air under RAF Bomber Command and those who remained flew for the French Armistice Air Force on behalf of the Vichy government. In a parallel of what had happened to Germany after World War I, the French government, now with its seat moved to Vichy , was forced by the Germans to accept its terms for

5936-502: The Tactical Air Forces Command, the Military Air Transport Command , and CAFDA (air defence). CFAS had two squadrons of S2 and S-3 IRBMs at the Plateau d'Albion, six squadrons of Mirage IV As (at Mont de Marsan , Cazaux, Orange, Istres, St Dizier, and EB 3/94 at Luxeuil - Saint-Sauveur Air Base ), and three squadrons of C-135F , as well as a training/reconnaissance unit, CIFAS 328, at Bordeaux . The tactical air command included wings EC 3, EC 4, EC 7, EC 11, EC 13, and ER 33, with

6042-474: The U.S. Navy Wildcats. Médiouna was attacked once again and several of the fighters were left burning, while two reconnaissance Potez were shot down, one by an F4F Wildcat and the other by an SBD Dauntless over the airfield at Chichaoua, where three Wildcats would later destroy four more Potez in a strafing attack. Ultimately, the presence of Vichy France in North Africa as an ally of the Germans came to an end on Armistice Day, 11 November 1942, when General Noguès,

6148-472: The Vichy air force saw action again when the British tried to take Dakar , the capital of Senegal , after a failed attempt (as at Mers-el-Kébir) to persuade the French to join the Allied cause against the Axis. This time, however, the French managed to repulse the British torpedo-bomber attacks launched from the carrier HMS Ark Royal during several days of fighting with only light casualties on their side. Syrian-based Vichy air force units saw action against

6254-416: The aforementioned state of chaos with regard to preparing France for war was still evident when some GC II/4 pilots were shocked to discover that new Curtiss H-75A-3s being prepared at Châteaudun had vital equipment missing – including radios. On 16 June, GC II/4 lost its second commanding officer in nine months when Commandant (Major) Borne took off on a reconnaissance sortie near Châtillon-sur-Seine and

6360-468: The air and space force, include: Commanded by a Lieutenant-colonel or Colonel, the Escadre is a formation that assembles various units and personnel dedicated to the same mission. In 1932, the "regiment" designation was replaced with "Escadre", which until 1994 was a unit consisting of the following: Escadres ( wings ) were dissolved from 1993 as part of the Armées 2000 reorganisation, were reestablished in 2014. The problems caused by having

6466-495: The aircraft maintenance units not responsible to the flying squadrons they supported eventually forced the change. Hotchkiss M1909 Benet-Mercie machine gun It was based on a design by Austrian nobleman and Army officer, Adolf Odkolek von Újezd, who sold the manufacturing rights to Hotchkiss in 1893. Several improved versions were designed by Hotchkiss's American manager, Laurence Vincent Benét (son of General Stephen Vincent Benét ) and his French assistant, Henri Mercié. It

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6572-426: The aircraft may have been old compared to the Grumman F4F Wildcats of the U.S. Navy, yet they were still dangerous and capable in the hands of combat veterans who had seen action against both the Germans and the British since the start of the war. Wildcats attacked the airfield at Rabat-Salé around 07.30 on the 8th and destroyed nine LeO 451 bombers of GB I/22, while a transport unit's full complement of various types

6678-472: The civilian population. The last remaining squadron of Dassault Mirage F1s retired the aircraft in July 2014 and replaced them with Dassault Rafales . On 13 July 2019, President Emmanuel Macron announced the creation of a space command, which would come into being within the French Air Force by September 2019, and the transformation of the French Air Force into the French Air and Space Force. According to Defense Minister Florence Parly , France reserves

6784-453: The commander-in-chief of the Vichy armed forces, requested a ceasefire; that did not stop a unit of U.S. Navy aircraft from attacking the airfield at Marrakech and destroying several French aircraft, apparently on the initiative of the unit's commander. Once the ceasefire request was accepted, the war between the Allies and the Vichy French came to an end, after two and a half years of what was termed "fratricidal" fighting. Torch had resulted in

6890-413: The day of the German invasion, Luftwaffe aircraft attacked the air base at Xaffévilliers, destroying six Hawks. By 15 May, GC II/4 was down to seven operational aircraft, which shot down a Heinkel He 111 bomber, four Bf 109s and possibly a Henschel Hs 126 observation aircraft for no loss. The good luck continued for GC II/4 when four enemy aircraft were destroyed the next day for no loss. Unfortunately,

6996-401: The end of the French accumulation of air power. On 14 May 1918, they were grouped into the Division Aerienne . As bombing aircraft were also being concentrated into larger units, the new division would also contain Escadre de Bombardement No. 12 and Escadre de Bombardement No. 13 . The bombing units were both equipped with 45 Breguet 14 bombers. The last addition to the new division

7102-516: The entire revised Armée de L’Air organisational structure was short-lived. When the war began the Armée de l'Air suffered from disorganisation in government, armed forces and industry which had led to only 826 fighters and 250 bombers to be anything like combat-ready. Many more aircraft were not ready because of shortages of equipment and components, machine-guns had not been calibrated and some bombers lacked bomb-sights when they were delivered to squadrons. The French had no comparable organisation to

7208-427: The first decade of the 20th century France was at the forefront of aviation progress, with pioneers such as Louis Blériot , Henri Farman , Gabriel Voisin , Édouard Nieuport , Gustave Delage and Louis Béchereau and this led to early interest in aircraft by the military. The French defeat during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871 was still very fresh, and France expected to face Germany again. From December 1909,

7314-406: The first to shoot down another aircraft when they downed a German Aviatik . However, air fighting was revolutionized when a reconnaissance pilot, Roland Garros , mounted a Hotchkiss machine gun on the cowling of his Morane-Saulnier L with a mechanical interrupter mechanism. The inconsistent firing rate of the Hotchkiss prevented the mechanism from working properly and he added deflector wedges to

7420-421: The fuselage and tailplane of each one. Initially, the rear fuselage and tailplane (excluding the rudder) were painted a bright yellow, but the markings were later changed so that they consisted of horizontally-oriented red and yellow stripes. In all cases, French national markings (roundel on the fuselage and tricolor on the tailplane) were retained as before. Nearly three months afterwards, on 23 September 1940,

7526-410: The growth of jobs in the French defense industry. In any case, the American aviation industry was too small and too committed to orders from American forces to be of any help. Inevitably, the French industrial response fell far behind the German threat. The British aircraft industry was working all out to rearm British forces. A re-organisation of the air force took place during September 1939. Prior to

7632-582: The inventories of the French. With the Groupes success, the French were encouraged to amass airpower into still larger tactical units. On 4 February 1918, Escadre de Combat No. 1 was created out of Groupe de Combat 15 , Groupe de Combat 18 , and Groupe de Combat 19 . It was followed by Escadre de Combat No. 2 , formed on the 27th from Groupe de Combat 11 , Groupe de Combat 13 , and Groupe de Combat 17 . Each groupe would be stocked with 72 fighters. The escadres were not

7738-401: The last pilot in the Vichy French air force to claim a combat victory, in this case a Wildcat of VF-9. Shortly afterwards, 13 Wildcats attacked the airfield at Médiouna and destroyed a total of 11 French aircraft, including six from GC II/5. On the morning of 10 November 1942, the Vichy French air force units in Morocco had a mere 37 combat-ready fighters and 40 bombers left to face the might of

7844-619: The leadership of new commander Captain Auguste de Reverand, such flying aces as Georges Guynemer , Charles Nungesser , and Albert Deullin began their careers. Encouraged by the success of their original Groupement , the French massed several squadrons for the Battle of the Somme . The burgeoning French aircraft inventory afforded the formation of Groupement de Combat de la Somme under Captain Felix Brocard . The Groupement

7950-471: The lone acquisition. On 22 October 1910, General Pierre Roques was appointed Inspector General of what was becoming referred to as the Cinquieme Arme, or Fifth Service. In March 1912, the French parliament enacted legislation to establish the air arm. It was projected to consist of three distinct branches based on aircraft missions—reconnaissance, bombing, or countering other aircraft. France

8056-420: The majority of aeronautical production, and regrouping those companies to their geographical regions. Bloch was nationalized in January 1937. However, the aircraft engine industry, even as it proved incapable of providing the badly needed powerful engines, escaped nationalization. By 1937, it was clear that more modern aircraft were needed, since the air force was still flying relatively antiquated aircraft like

8162-748: The military pilot license. Military pilot badge N°1 was issued to Lieutenant Charles de Tricornot de Rose following training at the Blériot Flying School in Pau , in southwest of France , where the Wright Brothers had established the first aviation school the year before. Shortly after the Aéronautique Militaire became be the world's first "air force" using aircraft, the German army began training airmen on 4 July 1910 but didn't create an official formation until 1 April 1911 when it formed

8268-580: The period. Production began at the Hotchkiss factory in Saint-Denis , Paris, but in 1914, with the invading German army threatening the city, the French military authorities ordered the factory to be moved to Lyon . The following year, the British government invited Hotchkiss to set up a factory in Coventry . By the end of the war, this factory had manufactured over 40,000 M1909s. The U.S. version

8374-416: The rear of the propeller blades, so that the wooden propeller would not be shot to pieces whenever he opened fire on German aircraft. With this setup, Garros became the world's first fighter pilot, but he was captured shortly afterwards when his engine failed. Independently, Anthony Fokker succeeded when he fitted a Fokker M.5K Eindecker (monoplane) with a Parabellum MG14 machine gun equipped with

8480-557: The reconnaissance aircraft to track German movements, Charles de Tricornot de Rose grouped the new Nieuport 11 fighters into dedicated fighter units, so they could operate together more effectively. This so revolutionized air combat that the Germans were forced to follow suit shortly thereafter. During this period the Lafayette Escadrille (designated N.124) was formed around a group of mainly American volunteers while their parent country remained neutral. Initially operating

8586-410: The reshuffle, the basic unit structure consisted of two Escadrilles ( Squadron ) forming a Groupe , extending to multiple Groupes (normally two or more), forming an Escadre . Following the re-organisation an 'Escadre' became a ' Groupement ' Groupement de Bombardement No.6 formed a part of the bomber contingent of Zone D'Opérations Aériennes Nord or ZOAN [lit. trans. 'Air Operations North']. ZOAN

8692-476: The right to arm French satellites with lasers for defensive purposes. The official renaming occurred on 24 July 2020, with the new Air and Space Force logo unveiled on 11 September 2020. On 26 July 2023, FASF conducted its first ever joint fighter exercise with Japan , continuing its defense ties between the two countries. The Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force (CEMAAE) determines French Air and Space Force doctrines application and advises

8798-658: The service was changed in July 2019 from Air Army ( Armée de l'Air ) to Air and Space Army ( Armée de l'air et de l'espace ), when the previous joint Inter-Service Space Command ( Commandement interarmées de l'espace ( CIE )) under the French General Staff was transformed into the Space Command ( Commandement de l'espace ( CDE )) and absorbed into the Air and Space Force as its fourth command. All air regions were disestablished on 1 January 2008. In

8904-539: The start of the war. It flew US-built Curtiss H-75A Hawk fighters, with which the unit claimed the first two French air victories on 8 September 1939, two Bf 109s of I/JG 53. Just 17 days later, it lost its commanding officer, Captain Claude, in combat, yet the pilots were especially shocked to discover that his body had been discovered with two bullets in the head, suggesting that a German pilot may have murdered him after bailing out of his aeroplane. At dawn on 10 May 1940,

9010-436: The then-unoccupied zone of metropolitan France and ordered the complete dissolution of the Vichy French armed forces on 1 December 1942. Those units then not under Vichy control would then be free to join with their Free French colleagues to fight the common enemy: Nazi Germany. French Air Force The French Air and Space Force ( French : Armée de l'air et de l'espace , lit.   ' Army of Air and Space ' )

9116-692: The war was lost for France, the high command ordered what remained of the Armée de l’Air to French colonies in North Africa to continue the fight, such that Armée de l’Air units were stationed at places like Alger-Maison-Blanche and Oran in Algeria and Meknes and Rayack in Morocco. The Vichy government ordered the dissolution of many of the air force squadrons, including the fighter unit designated GC II/4, nicknamed Les Petits Poucets . GC II/4 had been formed at Rheims in May 1939, then moved to Xaffévilliers by

9222-415: The war, and Georges Madon who had 41 victories. Prior to 1916, escadrilles operated a variety of different types of aircraft together to accomplish specific assigned tasks with the first fighters being distributed piecemeal to each escadrille. This type of organization was common at the time. In 1916, as a result of their failure to achieve aerial supremacy over the Battle of Verdun and the inability of

9328-472: The world in an aircraft design and by mid-1912 the Aéronautique Militaire had five squadrons ("escadrilles"). This had grown to 132 machines and 21 escadrilles by 1914, the same year when, on 21 February, it formally received a budget under the Ministry of War ("Ministère de la Guerre"). On 3 August, Germany declared war against France. At the beginning of what eventually became known as First World War ,

9434-555: Was a question of "too little, too late" as far as the French – as well as the whole continent of Europe – were concerned. An attempt was made to purchase the latest American bombers and fighters – or at least fighter planes. American planes were 50% more expensive than French models, and no superior models were for sale. U.S. law required cash purchases, and the French finance ministry opposed using its gold reserves for this purpose. French labor unions refused to lengthen its 40-hour week, and were strongly opposed to imports that would reverse

9540-470: Was abolished by decree n°2007-601 of 26 April 2007. From 2008 to 2010 the French Air Force underwent the "Air 2010" streamlining process. The main targets of this project were to simplify the command structure, to regroup all military and civil air force functions and to rationalise and optimise all air force units. Five major commands, were formed, instead of the former 13, and several commands and units were disbanded. The Directorate of Human Resources of

9646-512: Was almost entirely wiped out. At Casablanca, Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bombers succeeded in damaging the French battleship Jean Bart , and Wildcats strafed the bombers of GB I/32 at Camp Cazes airfield, some of which exploded as they were ready for take-off with bombs already on board, thus ensuring their mission never went ahead. The U.S. Navy did not have it all their own way, though, as several Wildcat pilots were shot down and taken prisoner. The day's victory tally of enemy aircraft shot down by

9752-410: Was assigned four Nieuport fighter squadrons; again, each was sent to support a different French field army . On 10 January 1918, Groupe de Combat 16 was formed from four SPAD squadrons. In February, five more Groupe de Combats were founded from SPAD squadrons: Groupes de Combats number 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21. The various Nieuport models were now being phased out as the new SPADs filled

9858-487: Was being planned. By December, the plans called for 70 new squadrons. Meanwhile, even as procurement efforts scaled up, inventive airmen were trying to use various light weapons against opposing airplanes. Roland Garros invented a crude method of firing a machine gun through the propeller arc by cladding his propeller with metal wedges deflecting any errant bullets. After destroying three German airplanes, Garros came down behind enemy lines on 18 April 1915. His secret weapon

9964-630: Was five protection squadrons, operating 75 Caudron R.11 gunships to fly escort for the Breguets. On 25 June 1918, Groupe de Combat 22 was founded. Groupe de Combat 23 followed soon thereafter. A couple of night bombardment groupes were also founded. Then, on 15 July 1918, the Division was committed to the Second Battle of the Marne . From then on, whether in whole or in part,

10070-462: Was formed as a branch of the Army under the command of General Pierre Roques , although they would have to wait until mid-1911 the first military aviation brevets to be awarded to army pilots and 29 March 1912 for the law officially establishing the Aéronautique Militaire to be passed. Training of military pilots was the same as civilian pilots until 1910 when the General Staff introduced

10176-521: Was formed on 1 July 1916 with a posting of four Nieuport squadrons: Squadron N.3 , N.26 , N.73 , and N.103 . Three other squadrons-- Squadron N.37 , N.62 , and N.65 were temporarily attached at various times. On 19 October 1916, three fixed Groupes de Combat were established, each to consist of four squadron. Numbered 11 , 12 , and 13 , they were only the first three Groupements . During March 1917, Groupe de Combat 14 and Groupe de Combat 15 were formed. Again, each new Groupe

10282-428: Was gas-operated and air-cooled, had a maximum range of 3,800 m (4,200 yd) and weighed 12 kg (27 lb). Initial models were fed by a 30-round feed strip but later models could be either strip-fed or belt -fed. The U.S. types had a bipod, while some others used a small tripod. This tripod, fitted under the firearm, could be moved with the weapon, and thus was very different from larger, heavier tripods of

10388-427: Was made by Springfield Armory and by Colt's Manufacturing Company . Total production for the United States was 670. This was small compared to the huge production runs of firearms later in the 20th century, but this was a significant number for the size of the contemporary U.S. Army . The M1909's adoption coincided with the withdrawal of the .30-06 manually operated Gatling guns from the U.S. Army's arsenals. As

10494-542: Was one of four geographically distinct areas of command. The others, comprising; Zone D'Opérations Aériennes Sud ZOAS , Zone D'Opérations Aériennes Est ZOAE and Zone D'Opérations Aériennes Alps ZOAA , were responsible for the Southern, Eastern and Alpine regions of the French mainland respectively. The national divisions these areas represented were drawn up to correspond to the boundaries of defence responsibility for French army groups. Zone D'Opérations Aériennes Nord

10600-434: Was one of the first states to start building aircraft. At the beginning of World War I , France had a total of 148 planes (eight from French Naval Aviation ( Aéronautique Navale )) and 15 airships . In August 1914, as France entered World War I, French airpower consisted of 24 squadrons ( escadrilles ) supporting ground forces, including three squadrons assigned to cavalry units. By 8 October, expansion to 65 squadrons

10706-668: Was proposed. By May 1918, over 600 fighters and bombers came under the command of the Division Aérienne . Two months later, long-range reconnaissance squadrons had been formed. At the armistice, the Aéronautique Militaire had some 3,222 front-line combat aircraft on the Western Front , making it the world's largest air force. During the war the Aéronautique Militaire claimed 2,049 enemy aircraft and 357 balloons destroyed, for some 3,500 killed in action, 3,000 wounded/missing and 2,000 killed in accidents. Some 182 pilots of

10812-473: Was responsible for the air cover and protection of the most Northern regions of France. Two units of bomber squadrons fell within the command of Groupement de Bombardement No.6; Groupe de Bombardement I/12 and Groupe de Bombardement II/12. The Officer Commanding Groupement de Bombardement No.6 was Colonel Lefort. Headquarters were at Soissons in the Picardy Region of north-east France. The existence of

10918-493: Was shot down by three Bf 109s. The next day, nine unserviceable Curtisses were set on fire by ground crews at Dun-sur-Auron before 23 remaining were flown to Meknès in Morocco. GC II/4 was disbanded on 25 August 1940, having been credited with 14 aircraft shot down during the Drôle de guerre and another 37 after the invasion, for the loss of eight pilots killed, seven wounded and one taken prisoner. Figures for aircraft losses during

11024-721: Was the cradle of French military parachuting , responsible for the first formation of the Air Infantry Groups ( Groupements de l'Infanterie de l'Air ) in the 1930s, out of which the Air Parachute Commandos ( commandos parachutistes de l'air ) descended. The French Air Force maintained a continuous presence across the French colonial empire , particularly from the 1920s to 1943. The French Air Force played an important role in WWII, most notably during

11130-544: Was thus exposed, and Anthony Fokker came up with the synchronization gear that by July 1, 1915 , turned airplanes into flying gun platforms. On 21 February 1916, the Verdun Offensive began. New weapons demanded new tactics. Commandant Charles de Tricornet de Rose was the original French pilot, having learned to fly in March 1911. This experienced flier was given a free hand to select pilots and airplanes for

11236-698: Was underway; the first 20-aircraft squadron became operational in 2006 at Saint-Dizier . In 2009, France rejoined the NATO Military Command Structure , having been absent since 1966. France was a leading nation, alongside the United States , United Kingdom and Italy in implementing the UN sponsored no-fly zone in Libya (NATO Operation Unified Protector ), deploying 20 fighter aircraft to Benghazi in defense of rebel-held positions and

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