French Air Force Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Armée de l'Air

Founded	1934
Country	France
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
Attack	Dassault Mirage 2000, Dassault Rafale
Electronic warfare	Beoing E-3F SDA
Fighter	Dassault Mirage 2000, Dassault Rafale
Interceptor	Dassault Mirage 2000, Dassault Rafale
Reconnaissance	Dassault Mirage 2000, Dassault Rafale, EADS Harfang,
Trainer	Grob G.120, SOCATA TB.30 Epsilon, Dassault-Breguet-Dornier Alpha Jet E, Eurocopter AS-555 Fennec,
Transport	Airbus A310, Airbus A340, Airbus A400M, Boeing C-135FR, Lockheed C-130H and C-130H-30, Transall C.160, Casa CN-235, Aérospatiale SA-330 Puma, Eurocopter AS-332 Super Puma, Eurocopter EC725 Caracal

The French Air Force (called Armée de l'Air in French, meaning 'Army of the Air') is France's national air force. It protects the country's skies and helps in missions around the world.

It started in 1909 as part of the French Army. Back then, it was called the Service Aéronautique de l'Armée. In 1934, it became its own independent branch, just like it is today. The French Air Force has many different types of aircraft.

French Air Force Bases
Aircraft of the French Air Force
- Former Aircraft
- Active Aircraft
Images for kids
See also

French Air Force Bases

In France, air force bases are called Bases Aériennes or BA. Each base has a number, like Base Aérienne 117 in Paris. These bases are important places where planes are kept, maintained, and where pilots train.

Paris air force base and its displayed Mirage III jet.
BA-273 at Romorantin.

Aircraft of the French Air Force

The French Air Force has used many different types of planes throughout its history. Some were used in big wars, while others were for training or carrying people and supplies.

Former Aircraft

Here are some of the planes that were once part of the French Air Force:

The Dewoitine D.510, a fighter plane from between the World Wars.
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, a fighter plane used during World War II.
The Bloch MB-131, used for scouting and bombing in World War II.
The Bloch MB-162, a French bomber from World War II.
The Douglas A-26 Invader, a bomber used by the French Air Force in the Indochina war.
The ANF-Les Mureaux 113, a reconnaissance aircraft.
The Lockheed T-33, a former training jet.
The Bréguet 941, a transport plane.
The A319CJ, a former VIP transport plane.
The Mirage IIIE, a fighter aircraft.
The Caravelle, a former transport plane.
The Dassault Mirage 5, a former fighter aircraft.
The Dassault Mirage IV, a nuclear bomber.
The DC-8 Sarigue, a spy plane.
The Sepecat Jaguar, an attack plane made by both British and French companies.

Active Aircraft

These are some of the aircraft currently used by the French Air Force:

The Airbus A310, a large transport plane.
The Mirage 2000D, an attack version of the Mirage 2000.
The Lockheed C-130H-30, a strong transport plane.
The Alpha Jet of Patrouille de France, a famous aerobatic team.
The Dassault Rafale C, a modern multi-role fighter jet.
The Eurocopter AS-332 Super Puma, a transport helicopter.
The SOCATA TB-30 Epsilon, a training aircraft.
The Transall C.160, a transport plane made by French and German companies.
The Xingu, a training and light transport plane from Brazil.
The Dassault Falcon 900, a VIP transport plane used by the French Prime Minister.
The E-3F, a plane used for electronic warfare and air control.
The Casa CN-235M, another transport plane.

Images for kids

"Company of aviators", September 1914, by Jules Gervais-Courtellemont
French aircraft during World War I, flying over German held territory (1915)
Nieuport-Delage NiD.29 C.1 fighter used in the early post-WWI period.
Dewoitine D.510 monoplane fighters from the mid-1930s
A North American T-28 Trojan, used against guerrillas during the Algerian War
Mirage IIIC of EC 2/10 "Seine" pictured in 1980 armed with a Matra R.530
A 1986 view of a Mirage F1 from the Escadron de Chasse 2/30 Normandie-Niemen and another from the Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine, both armed with Matra R.530 missiles. Squadron insignias are visible on the two aircraft.
Mirage 2000 in flight
Général d'armée aérienne André Lanata, former chief of staff of the French Air Force
Air bases in Metropolitan France
A French Air and Space Force Dassault Rafale B at RIAT in 2009
Crotale missile-launchers of the Air Defense Ground-to-Air Squadron of the French Air and Space Force
Orange-Caritat Air Base
Brétigny-sur-Orge Air Base
Fusiliers Commandos de l'Air at the opening of a war memorial
Side cap of the French Air and Space Force personnel
Students of the École de l'air (Air School) during the military parade of July 14th in 2007 on the Champs-Élysées
Mirage 2000C
Mirage 2000D
Rafale C
E-3F Sentry
Transall C-160R
A400M
A330 MRTT
C-130J
C-135FR

French Air Force facts for kids

Contents

French Air Force Bases

Aircraft of the French Air Force

Former Aircraft

Active Aircraft

Images for kids

See also