A Sample Feature From Aviation News

French Firepower on show

The French Air Force recently held a major firepower demonstration, Dino Carrara reports on this two day event which was held at Orléans-Bricy and Cazaux air bases.

Above: A scene from the first flying demonstration of the EMS, an Armée de l’Air C-160R Transall waits on the grass training area at Orléans-Bricy with engines running as civilians are escorted by troops towards the cargo ramp in preparation for a quick departure from a simulated hostile environment. (All photos, author).

Once a year the Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) organises the Enseignement Militaire Supérieur (Advanced Military Education) to demonstrate the capabilities of two of its major commands, the Commandement de la Force Aérienne de Projection (Air Mobility Command) and the Commandement de la Force Aérienne de Combat (Air Combat Command). The event is staged for invited guests over two days, this year on September 18 and 19, at Orléans-Bricy and Cazaux air bases. At both locations a static exhibition of aircraft and equipment was displayed followed by a flying demonstration. Held for the 12th time, the aim is to show other armed forces from around the world some of France’s capabilities, as well as being a public relations exercise mostly for the French media.

The first day at Orléans-Bricy was devoted to the Commandement de la Force Aérienne de Projection (CFAP). This element is responsible for the deployment and logistical support of personnel and equipment in peacetime and during campaigns using its transport fleet of aircraft. It can also perform in-flight refuelling missions using specially-equipped C-160 Transalls and is also tasked with the recovery of aircrew shot down over hostile territory (combat search and rescue) using modified Eurocopter SA330 Puma helicopters.

It is also available to render assistance to civilians by providing medical evacuation, search and rescue and other special transport requirements. Aircraft can be tasked on humanitarian missions in a national or coalition context as well as for the benefit of organisations such as the United Nations.

Some of the Command’s Eurocopter AS355F1 Écureuil and AS555AW Fennec helicopters, fitted with a 20mm cannon, perform the Mesures Actives de Sûreté Aérienne (Active Air Defence Measures) role for the protection of important sites, such as air bases, major events and VIPs. The Écureuils and Fennecs may also carry armed personnel and are tasked with countering ground threats, such as terrorists or enemy special forces, as well as threats from the air in the form of light aircraft which may have to be shot down. The Command is also assigned to the transportation of civilian and military VIPs.

To perform these varied tasks CFAP has 156 aircraft and 89 helicopters, comprising 21 different types, at its disposal.

Above: After successfully ‘rescuing’ a pilot shot down behind enemy lines, part of the special forces team are extracted using a method which would be used if no landing site for the helicopter, a Eurocopter SA330 Puma, was available.

Despite the Enseignement Militaire Supérieur (EMS) being organised to demonstrate the capabilities of France, the Air Force is keen to stress its international co-operation in peacetime and conflicts which explains the Luftwaffe Airbus A310 in the static and other non-French aircraft participating over the two days.

Air Mobility set-piece

Later guests were bussed over to the other side of the airfield for a 50min flying demonstration on a large open training area which had a grass landing strip marked out and taxiways leading to the airfield. The main scenario to be played out was the evacuation of civilians from hostile territory. Proceedings began with troops parachuting in from a Transall, one carrying a military trained Alsatian dog! International co-operation was highlighted by a Spanish Air Force Lockheed Martin KC-130H Hercules simulating the in-flight refuelling of a Transall and the formation flypast by a Belgian Air Force Hercules and another French Transall. A further C-160 demonstrated the ability of the type to act as a single-point tanker with its hose and drogue extended and two Mirage 2000Ds in trail. Two more Mirages simulated a bomb run to destroy ‘enemy’ vehicles before the arrival of friendly forces in a CN-235. Further reinforcements landed in a Transall which performed a steep approach as used to fly into Sarajevo. Troops then escorted a party of civilians onto the C-160 for a rapid departure. While the civilians were being extracted, ‘enemy’ ground forces were kept at bay by four Mirage 2000Ds. Further APCs and tanks were delivered onto the grass strip by a Luftwaffe Transall and French Hercules which demonstrated their impressive rough field short landing and take-off capabilities.

Helicopters then took centre stage with two Pumas illustrating Combat SAR procedures for the rescue of a pilot from behind enemy lines. Two Fennecs showed the techniques they would use in the MASA role by forcing a light aircraft, an Air Force Jodel D140 played the part of a rogue intruder, to land with the Gendarmerie on hand to arrest the pilot. This was followed by a low-level multi-national airdrop of supplies from a single Hercules from Belgium, Spain, the UK, plus an Italian G.222 and a French Transall. The event was concluded by an impressive simultaneous parachute extraction of APCs from a pair of Transalls just a few feet above the ground.

The head of CFAP, Gen François Beck afterwards highlighted the need for greater European co-operation which will be enhanced when the much delayed Airbus A400M, ordered by eight countries though currently being held up by Germany, enters service. The new airlifter will enable his Command to improve its capabilities not met by the current fleet with the first aircraft expected to arrive in 2008. The co-operation the General talks of includes the sharing by nations of their aircraft, including air-to-air refuelling tankers, which will be more efficient and reduce the need for the costly chartering of civilian aircraft. This process is already underway with some agreements already in place and the creation in autumn 2001 of the European Airlift Coordination Cell in Eindhoven. CFAPs two other main projects at present are fleet rationalisation, illustrated by the planned withdrawal of the Nord 262, Falcon 20 and DHC-6 Twin Otter, and new training programmes. Other plans include the retirement of first generation C-130s and C-160s from service by 2010. In what it describes as an efficiency move each helicopter squadron will in future concentrate on a single mission.

All aboard for Cazaux

Above : A Royal Netherlands Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16A returns to its parking spot at Cazaux. Behind it are Jaguar As and Mirage F.1CRs which have also just landed after taking part in the demonstration. In the distance can be seen some of the Transalls and CN-235s used to transport the EMS guests.

At the end of the first day’s proceedings no less than eight Transalls and three CN-235s, one of the latter for the press, were utilised to fly the main bulk of EMS attendees down to Cazaux air base in the south-west of France. A number of high-ranking officials visited during the two days, including the Chiefs of Staff from Germany, Italy and Spain, resulting in a number of VIP aircraft visiting both bases.

Cazaux was the venue for the CFAC (Air Combat Command) demonstration.

Above : A Jaguar dives on the Cazaux range unleashing, in impressive fashion, its 100mm rockets.

For the rest of this article please see the December issue.