Modern

French Air Force 1979

List AIR3 Europe

by Mark Bevis

1. Strategic Bomber Force Force de Frappe

91st Wing: 3 Squadrons@ 5x Mirage IVA (nuclear bombs), 2x Mirage IVP

94th Wing: 3 Squadrons@ 6x Mirage IVA (nuclear bombs), 2x Mirage IVP

3 Tanker Squadrons@ 4x Boeing KC-135F

2. Tactical Command

2nd Fighter-Bomber Wing: 2 Squadrons@ 18x Mirage IIIE and 1 Operational Conversion Unit: 14x Mirage IIIB/C/BE

4th Fighter-Bomber Wing: 2 Squadrons@ 18x Mirage IIIE

13th Fighter-Bomber Wing: 3 Squadrons@ 18x Mirage IIIE

3rd Fighter-Bomber Wing: 3 Squadrons@ 20x Jaguar A

33rd Recce Wing: 3 Squadrons@ 16x Mirage IIIR/RD, 5?x Lockheed RT-33A

7th Fighter-Bomber Wing: 3 Squadrons@ 20x Jaguar A

11th Fighter-Bomber Wing: 3 Squadrons@ 20x Jaguar A

92nd Fighter-Bomber Wing: 2 Squadrons@ 18x Vautour IIB (up to 1978) or 1 Squadron: 20x Jaguar A (1979+)

8th Training Wing: 20?x Mystere IV weapons trainers and jet conversion trainers

3. Air Defence Command

5th Fighter Wing: 2 Squadrons@ 28x Mirage F-1C
12th Fighter Wing: 2 Squadrons@ 28x Mirage F-1C
30th Fighter Wing: 2 Squadrons@ 28x Mirage F-1C
10th Fighter Wing: 2 Squadrons@ 18x Mirage IIIC or 33x Mirage F-1C (from 1980)

4. Air Transport Command

61st Transport Wing: 3 Squadrons@ 15x C-160 Transall

62nd Transport Wing: 2 Squadrons@ 30x Nord 2501 Noratlas

64th VIP Transport Wing:

    1 Squadron: 4x DC-8F, 3x Caravelle 11R (1978+)
    1 Squadron: 1x Caravelle, 5x Falcon, 2x SA330 Puma, 3x Cessna 411

65th Transport Wing:

    2 Squadrons@ Nord Freighters, Falcon 20s, Paris, Broussards
    4 Liaison, SAR Squadrons@ 12x Alouette II/III
    1 Liaison, SAR Squadron: 10x SA330 Puma

5. Training & Miscalleneous Units

34x Dassault Flamants
+200x Alpha Jet E1 replacing 300x Magister
8x Cessna 310N, 2x Cessna 310K, 2x Cessna 310L, 11x KC-135 tankers

6. Notes

a) Vautour IIB carries 3x 1000lb or 6x 750lb or 6x 500lb or 9x 200lb HE internally, plus 4x AS-30 ASM or 4x 18x 68mm rocket pods or 4x 500lb HE or 24x 120mm rockets externally.

b) Mirage IVA carries 1x 60KT nuclear bomb or 16000lbs of HE bombs.

c) Mirage IIIE carries 2x 30mm cannon; 1x AS-30 ASM or 1x AS-30 & 2x 1000lb HE or AS-37 ARM or 2x 1000lb HE bombs or 4x 1000lb HE or 4x CBU or 2x napalm or 4x napalm or 2x 20mm gun pods or 2x 30mm gun pods or 2x 500lb penetration bombs or 1x 15KT nuclear bomb in ground attack role.

d) Mirage IIIC carries 2x 30mm cannon; 1x Matra R530, 2x AIM-9H in air defence role.

e) Mirage F-1C carries 2x 30mm cannon; 2x R-550 Magic, 2x R530 or R-550 or AIM-9H Sidewinder in air defence role.

f) Jaguar A carries 2x 30mm cannon; 1x 60KT nuclear bomb or 5x CBU or 2x AS37 Martel or 4x 18x 68mm rocket pods or 24 x 100mm rockets or 5x 1000lb HE or 2x 880lb penetration bombs or 12x 550lb HE or (in overload at short radius) 10x CBU or 10x 1000lb HE bombs or 4x penetration bombs.

g) Alpha Jets, if armed, have 4x 18x 68mm rocket pods or 5x 1000lb HE or 4x CBU or 3x 1000lb HE & 2x napalm or 5x napalm or 2x 30mm gun pods or 2x 20mm gun pods & 2x Magic R.550 or 8x 120mm rockets or 2x 1000lb HE & 2x rocket pods or 2x CBU and 2x rocket pods.

h) Mystere IV weapons trainers have 2x 30mm cannon, 2x 450kg HE bombs or 2x 19x 68mm rocket pods or 2x napalm bombs or 12x 120mm rockets or 1x 880lb penetration bomb.

i) Penetration bombs or "dibbers" are designed for anti-runway & anti-HAS work.


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© Copyright 1997-2005 by Mark Bevis and MicroMark.
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