Air bases

Flying activity in France is carried out by a network of bases, platforms and French air and space defence radar systems. It is supported by bases, which are supervised and maintained by staff, operational centres, warehouses, workshops, and schools. Both in France and abroad, bases have similar infrastructure to provide standardised support.

The French Air and Space Force has, as of 1 August 2014:

· Within the metropolitan territory of France, 27 airbases, out of the which 18 aeronautical platform with perceived runways and 5 Bases non-platform, two schools, 3 air detachments and " one attached air element " (EAR).

· Beyond the metropole/Europe, 7 Aerial Bases or permanent detachments in overseas or country.

Some French airbases house radar units (e.g. Lyon, Mont-Verdun, Drachenbronn, Cinq-Mars-la-Pile, Nice, Mont-Agel) to carry out air defence radar surveillance and air traffic control. Others house material warehouses or command posts. Temporary and semi-permanent foreign deployments include transport aircraft at Dushanbe (Tajikistan, Operation Héraclès), and fighter aircraft in N'Djamena (Tchad, Opération Épervier), among others.

As swift as the French Air and Space Force operates, the closure of aerial bases is more constant and immediate, having known a strong acceleration since the 1950s. An air base commander has authority over all units stationed on their base. Depending on the units' tasks, this means that they are responsible for approximately 600 to 2500 personnel.

On average, a base, made up of about 1500 personnel (nearly 3500 people including family), provides a yearly economic boost to its area of about 60 million euros. Consequently, determining the sites for air bases constitutes a major part of regional planning.

Some French airbases house radar units (e.g. Lyon, Mont-Verdun, Drachenbronn, Cinq-Mars-la-Pile, Nice, Mont-Agel) to carry out air defence radar surveillance and air traffic control. Others house material warehouses or command posts. Temporary and semi-permanent foreign deployments include transport aircraft at Dushanbe (Tajikistan, Operation Héraclès), and fighter aircraft in N'Djamena (Tchad, Opération Épervier), among others.

As swift as the French Air and Space Force operates, the closure of aerial bases is more constant and immediate, having known a strong acceleration since the 1950s. An air base commander has authority over all units stationed on their base. Depending on the units' tasks, this means that they are responsible for approximately 600 to 2500 personnel.

On average, a base, made up of about 1500 personnel (nearly 3500 people including family), provides a yearly economic boost to its area of about 60 million euros. Consequently, determining the sites for air bases constitutes a major part of regional planning.

Orange-Caritat Air Base

· BA 105 Évreux-Fauville Air Base. Command, operational and logistic support. Air transport units with 27× CASA CN-235M, 9× Transall C-160 NG.

· BA 107 Vélizy – Villacoublay Air Base. Helicopter and heavy air transport units.

· BA 113 Saint-Dizier – Robinson Air Base 4e Escadre de Chasse, 50× Rafale B and Rafale C.

· BA 116 Luxeuil - Saint-Sauveur Air Base. Air defence fighter base with 28× Mirage 2000-5F.

· BA 123 Orléans – Bricy Air Base. Air transport units with 17× Airbus A400M Atlas and 18× Lockheed C 130 Hercules. CFPSAA operational command.

· BA 133 Nancy – Ochey Air Base. Three strike fighter squadrons units with 70× Mirage 2000D, SAM sqns.

· BA 279 Châteaudun Air Base. Airplane maintenance, repair and storage airbase.

· BA 702 Avord Air Base. CFAS nuclear strike stockpile. AWACS 4× E-3F Sentry unit. Inflight refueling C-135FR unit.

· BA 705 Tours airbase. Fighter pilot training school were equipped with Alpha Jet. This school has been moved to BA 709 in 2020.

· DA 273 Romorantin air detachment. Logistics unit.

· BA 106 Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport. Transport support base for the air staff.

· BA 115 Orange-Caritat Air Base. Air defence 28× Mirage 2000C and 6× Mirage 2000B-S5.

· BA 118 Mont-de-Marsan Air Base. Home to 52× Rafale B and Rafale C. Home of CEAM, the Air and Space Force military experimentation and trials organisation, Air defence radar command reporting centre, and the air traffic control and air defence control training centre.

· BA 120 Cazaux Air Base, situated South-west of the port city of Bordeaux. Fighter pilot training squadron equipped with 45× Alpha Jet. Air and Space Force airplane stockpile.

· BA 125 Istres-Le Tubé Air Base. Two Transall C-160G strategic communication flight. Inflight refueling unit with 4× Airbus A330 MRTT and 14× KC-135FR. CEAM – the Air and Space Force military test centre.

· BA 126 Solenzara Air Base. Fighter gunnery range. SAR unit.

· DA 277 Varennes-sur-Allier. Air and Space Force supply depot. DA 277 was dissolved on 30 June 2015.

· Air Base 278 Ambérieu. Logistic support base.

· BA 701 Salon-de-Provence Air Base. Presentation Team equipped with 12× Alpha Jet. Officer instruction school. Enlisted instruction school.

· BA 709 Cognac – Châteaubernard Air Base. Basic flight training school equipped with 17× Pilatus PC-21 and UAV squadron with 8× MQ-9 Reaper.

· Air Base 721 Rochefort. Home of the NCO school, the École de formation des sous-officiers de l'armée de l'air.

· BA 942 Lyon – Mont Verdun Air Base. Air defence radar command reporting centre. National Air Operations Command (CNOA) location.

· EAR 943 Nice Mont-Agel. Air defence radar GM 406.

· DA 204 Bordeaux-Beauséjour air detachment. Logistic unit.

· EETAA 722 Saintes. Air and Space Force electronic, technical instruction also as Military basic Bootcamp.

· EPA 749 Grenoble. Air and Space Force child support school.