French Naval Aviation of the French Navy

French Navy

The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...

 includes 206 aircraft and 6,800 men, both civilians and military personnel. They operate from six airbases, five of them in Metropolitan France and one overseas.

Born as a fusion of carrier squadrons and naval patrol air force, the Aviation navale was created on the 19 June 1998. The headquarter is under command of an admiral (ALAVIA) in Toulon

Toulon

Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....

.

It has four components:

• The air complements of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle: Rafale, Super Étendard
  Dassault Super Étendard
  The Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard is a French carrier-borne strike fighter aircraft designed for service with the French Navy...
  
   and E-2 Hawkeye
  E-2 Hawkeye
  The Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, aircraft carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the...
  
  
• Naval patrol air units: Atlantique 2
• On-board helicopters: Dauphin
  Eurocopter Dauphin
  The Eurocopter SA 365/AS365 Dauphin 2 is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter .-Design and development:...
  
  , Panther, Super Frelon
  Aérospatiale Super Frelon
  The Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon is a three-engined heavy transport helicopter produced by Aérospatiale of France. The helicopter is still in use in China where the locally produced version is known as the Z-8. "Frelon" is French for hornet....
  
  , Lynx
  Westland Lynx
  The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
  
  , Alouette III
  Aérospatiale Alouette III
  The Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...
  
  
• Support air units

Carrier-borne pilots of the French navy do their initial training at Salon-de-Provence Air Base

Salon-de-Provence Air Base

Salon-de-Provence Air Base is a base of the French Air Force located south Salon-de-Provence in southern France.It hosts the training facilities for the officers of the air force:* École de l'Air: for young students** pilot commissioned officers...

, then with the US Navy.

Units

Operational squadrons are known as Flotilles and normal consist of 12 aircraft:

• 1F to 10F are carrier based ant-submarine squadrons
  • 4F operates the E-2C Hawkeye from Lorient
• 11F to 20F are fighter and attack squadrons
  • 11F operates the Super Etendard based at Landivisiau
  • 12F operates the Rafale M based at Landivisiau
  • 17F operates the Super Etendard at Landivisiau
• 21F to 30F are maritime patrol squadrons
  • 21F operates the Atlantic 2 from Nîmes/Garons
  • 23F operates the Atlantic 2 from Lorient
  • 24F operates the Falcon 50 and Xingu from Lorient
  • 25F operates the Falcon 200 Guardian from Tahiti with a detachment at Nouméa
  • 28F operates the Xingu from Lorient
• 31F to 39F are helicopter squadrons
  • 31F operates the Westland Lynx
    Westland Lynx
    The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
    
     from Hyeres will change to the NH90 in 2010
  • 32F operates the EC225 from Lanvéoc
  • 34F operates the Lynx from Lanvéoc
  • 35F operates Dauphin helicopters from Hyeres with detachments at Cherbourg, La Rochelle and Le Touquet/Paris-Plage
  • 36F operates the Dauphin from Hyeres

Shore-based training and transport squadrons are known as Escadrilles de Servitude:

• 1S to 19S are communications squadrons
  • 10S is an experimental unit bases at Hyeres
• 20S to 29S are helicopters squadrons
  • 22S operates the Alouette III from Lanvéoc

• 50S to 59S are training squadrons
  • 50S operates the Rallye 100S and CAP-10 from Lanvéoc
  • 57S operates the Falcon 10MER from Landivisiau

Aircraft inventory

French Naval Aviation operates 209 aircraft, including 63 combat jets and 79 helicopters. 82% of the Navy's aircraft were built in France.
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
| Aérospatiale Alouette III

Aérospatiale Alouette III

The Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...

 || || utility helicopter || SA 316B and SA 319B || 25 ||
|-----
| Breguet Atlantic || || maritime patrol || Atlantique 2 || 22 ||
|-----
| Dassault Falcon 10

Dassault Falcon 10

|-See also:-References:*...

 || || surveillance || Falcon 10 M || 6 ||
|-----
| Dassault Falcon 20

Dassault Falcon 20

The Dassault Falcon 20 is a French business jet and was the first of a family of business jets built by Dassault Aviation.-Design and development:...

 || || surveillance || Falcon 20 H Gardian || 5 || Based in French Pacific Territories
|-----
| Dassault Falcon 50

Dassault Falcon 50

|-See also:-References:* Taylor, John W R. . Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK:Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.-External links:* *...

 || || surveillance || Falcon 50 M || 4|| 4 others to be delivred during the next years
|-----
| Dassault Rafale

Dassault Rafale

The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...

 || || fighter/attack || Rafale M || 29 (58) ||
|-----
| Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard || || attack || || 34 ||
|-----
| Embraer EMB 121 Xingu

Embraer EMB 121 Xingú

|-See also:-References:* * Endres, Gunter and Gething, Mike. . Aircraft Recognition Guide, . New York: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 0-00-713721-4....

 || || trainer || Xingu 1 || 11 ||
|-----
| Eurocopter Dauphin

Eurocopter Dauphin

The Eurocopter SA 365/AS365 Dauphin 2 is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter .-Design and development:...

 || || naval helicopter || SA 365 || 9||
|-----
| Eurocopter EC225 || || rescue helicopter || SECMAR || 2||
|----
| Eurocopter Panther || || naval helicopter || AS 565MA || 16 ||
|-----
| Grumman E-2 Hawkeye || || airborne early warning || E-2C || 3||
|-----
| Mudry CAP 10 || || trainer || CAP 10B || 7||
|-----
| MS-88 Rallye

Socata Rallye

-Bibliography:* Donald, David . The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Leicester, UK: Blitz, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.* Taylor, John W R. . Jane's All the Worlds Aircraft 1976-77. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. ISBN 0 354 00538 3....

 || || trainer || MS-880B || 9||
|-----
| NHIndustries NH90 || || multi-role helicopter || NFH 90 Caiman || 2 (27)||
|-----
| Westland Lynx

Westland Lynx

The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...

 || || antisubmarine helicopter || Lynx HAS 4 || 25 ||
|-----

Former Aéronavale aircraft

• Aérospatiale Rallye 100S
  Socata Rallye
  -Bibliography:* Donald, David . The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Leicester, UK: Blitz, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.* Taylor, John W R. . Jane's All the Worlds Aircraft 1976-77. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. ISBN 0 354 00538 3....
  
  
• Aérospatiale Super Frelon
  Aérospatiale Super Frelon
  The Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon is a three-engined heavy transport helicopter produced by Aérospatiale of France. The helicopter is still in use in China where the locally produced version is known as the Z-8. "Frelon" is French for hornet....
  
  
• Amiot AAC.1 'Toucan' (Junkers Ju 52
  Junkers Ju 52
  The Junkers Ju 52 was a German transport aircraft manufactured from 1932 to 1945. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. In a civilian role, it flew with over 12 air carriers including Swissair and Deutsche Luft Hansa as an airliner and freight hauler...
  
  )
• Avro Lancaster
  Avro Lancaster
  The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
  
   - 54 sold by Royal Australian Air Force
  Royal Australian Air Force
  The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
  
  
• Breguet Alizé
  Breguet Alizé
  |-See also:-References:*Michell, Simon. . Jane's Civil and Military Aircraft Upgrades 1994-95. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 1994. ISBN 0-7106-1208-7.-External links:*...
  
  
• Breguet Atlantic
• Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
• Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
• Dassault Etendard IV
• Dassault Falcon 10
  Dassault Falcon 10
  |-See also:-References:*...
  
  
• Douglas C-47 Dakota
• Douglas C-54 Skymaster
• Douglas SBD Dauntless
• Fouga Zéphyr
  Fouga Zéphyr
  |-See also:-References:* Kopenhagen, W., ed. Das große Flugzeug-Typenbuch. Stuttgart, Germany: Transpress, 1987. ISBN 3-344-00162-0.* Jackson, Paul A, French Military Aviation Leicester, England: Midland Counties Publications, 1979. ISBN 0 904597 17 2....
  
  
• Grumman F6F Hellcat
• Grumman TBF Avenger
• Lockheed P-2 Neptune
• Morane-Saulnier MS.760 Paris
• Martin P5M Marlin
• Nord Pingouin
  Nord Pingouin
  |-See also:-External links:*...
  
  
• Nord 262
  Nord 262
  |-See also:-References:* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–1966. London:Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1965.* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–1977. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. ISBN 0 354 00538 3....
  
  
• Short Sunderland
  Short Sunderland
  The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
  
  
• Piper Navajo
• Sud-Est Aquilon
• Supermarine Seafire
  Supermarine Seafire
  The Supermarine Seafire was a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire specially adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. The name Seafire was arrived at by collapsing the longer name Sea Spitfire.-Origins of the Seafire:...
  
  
• Vought F4U Corsair
• Vought F-8 Crusader

External links

• French Fleet Air Arm, about French naval aviation.