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:
· units (escadrons or groups) generally equipped with the same type of aircraft or at least assuring the same type of mission
· units of maintenance and support.
Escadres (wings) were dissolved from 1993 as part of the Armées 2000 reorganisation, were reestablished in 2014. The problems caused by having the aircraft maintenance units not responsible to the flying squadrons they supported eventually forced the change.
Four Escadres were reformed in the first phase:
· 31e Escadre Aérienne de Ravitaillement et de Transport Stratégiques at Istres-Le Tubé Air Base on 27 August 2014
· 36e Escadre de Commandement et de Conduite Aéroportée at Avord Air Base on 5 September 2014
· Escadre Sol-Air de Défense Aérienne – 1er Régiment d'Artillerie de l'Air (ESADA – 1er RAA) at Avord Air Base (3 September 2014)
· the 3e Escadre de Chasse at Nancy-Ochey Air Base (5 September 2014)
In the second phase, the French Air Force announced in August 2015 the creation of six additional wings:
· the 8e Escadre de Chasse at Cazaux Air Base (25 August 2015)
· the 4e Escadre de Chasse at Saint-Dizier ( 26 August 2015)
· the 64e Escadre de Transport at Évreux-Fauville Air Base (27 August 2015)
· the 2e Escadre de Chasse at Luxeuil - Saint-Sauveur Air Base (3 September 2015)
· the 61e Escadre de Transport (fr:61e escadre de transport) at Orléans – Bricy Air Base (1 September 2015)
· the 30e Escadre de Chasse at Mont-de-Marsan Air Base (3 September 2015).
Also established was the Escadre Aérienne de Commandement et de Conduite Projetable at Évreux-Fauville Air Base on 27 August 2015.
The French Air and Space Force announced in August 2015 that unit numbering, moves of affected aircraft, and the transfer of historic material (flags, traditions and names) would be completed in 2016.
· the 62e Escadre de Transport was re-constituted at Orléans – Bricy Air Base on 5 September 2017, taking over C-130 Hercules operations from 61e Escadre de Transport so the latter could specialise in A400M Atlas operations.
Another air force wing was added on September 5, 2019:
the 33e Escadre de surveillance, de reconnaissance et d'attaque at Cognac – Châteaubernard Air Base, operating the air and space force's drone fleet.
