If the French Army were to be engaged one day in the theater of a conflict in enemy territory, “it is the Rafale, the front-line squadrons, which would leave first,” explains Captain David, fighter pilot. This is, in part, why pilots train almost daily: they must be ready to take off “at the whistle” to quickly project themselves into the area, in order to bring the aircraft’s “destructive capacity” .
20 minutes went to meet the pilots of the 30th fighter squadron of BA 118 from Mont-de-Marsan (Landes), made up of two squadrons, the 2/30 Normandie Niémen, and the 3/30 Lorraine, to better understand the role and daily life of these soldiers. Lift-off.
How many people make up the squadrons?
Each squadron is made up of around sixty people, including around twenty pilots, and around ten fighter planes. That is to say around 120 people in total for the 30th squadron of Mont-de-Marsan. A workforce which will soon increase to 200 people with the reintroduction of mechanics within the squadrons themselves, as part of the reorganization of the Air and Space Force (AAE).
In addition to administrative staff and pilots, each squadron integrates an intelligence structure with three main sectors: “targeting” with image interpreters, a second sector for knowledge of the threat with experts in mission preparation systems [les exploitants-renseignements]and finally electronic warfare experts for the preparation of our libraries and our Spectra self-protection system », explains Commander Vincent, second in command of the 3/30 Lorraine squadron.
What are the missions of the 30th fighter wing?
The 30th fighter wing responds first of all to operational permanence, that is to say the surveillance of the airspace of the national territory. In 2023, nearly 900 interventions in total, including 350 carried out by fighter planes, have been recorded. These were aircraft experiencing trajectory problems, loss or absence of radio contact, transponder failures, or needing flight assistance, or even requiring identity confirmations.
It also participates, for the benefit of NATO, in the air policing missions of the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), which aim to guarantee the integrity of their airspace, as well as in the anti-aircraft operation. Daesh – Chammal – launched in 2014. It can thus be deployed in the Levant on the planned “H5” air base in Amman in Jordan, and on BA 104 in Al Dhafra in the United Arab Emirates. The 30th Wing is also an integral part of the “permanent deterrence posture”. Understand that it is part of the Fas (Strategic Air Forces) responsible for the use of nuclear weapons.
Finally there are the workouts and exercises. These can take place in France, like Volfa, which was held in March, or abroad, like Pégase in Australia, where the 30th fighter squadron will go this summer.
How have these missions evolved?
“We respond to political wishes, we are a tool in the service of France,” summarizes Commander Vincent. “And, yes, the missions have been evolving for several years. Concretely, ten years ago, they were more focused on Africa or the Middle East. We then did a lot of CAS (Close Air Support) because that was what was required in the fight against Daesh. For two years, with what is happening on the eastern flank, our efforts have been redirected towards this geographical area. » An area where “the threat becomes airborne, it is no longer just on the ground with support for the troops”, which “reorients our training. »
What about surveillance of the Baltic States?
The fighter planes of the Air and Space Force regularly fill, as we said above, sky police missions under NATO command in the airspaces of the Baltic countries, and this since 2004. These missions have been reinforced since 2014 and the annexation of Crimea by Russia, and have obviously taken on a new scale since 2022 and the war in Ukraine .
The 30th Fighter Wing participated in one of these missions in early 2023, lasting four months, in Lithuania. 20 minutes had gone there when Commander Vincent was there. He had to take off several times on real alert to “intercept” Russian planes coming up the Baltic Sea from the Kaliningrad enclave.
“This mission is exactly the same as what we do above our national territory,” assures Commander Vincent. “The only difference is based on what we will encounter: in France, we will have more firefighter or ambulance missions, and a few gendarmes, whereas there, the role of gendarme is exacerbated. Which requires us to make interceptions. But we can do it in France too, in the context of certain aircraft crossings off the Atlantic. [deux bombardiers russes avaient par exemple été interceptés au large des côtes françaises en 2016]. Of course, the risk is not the same, but we take the potential threat into account, to avoid it or react if necessary. »
Are the workouts different today?
After having been engaged in “asymmetric” conflicts in recent years, the 30th squadron must therefore prepare, in view of the evolution of the international situation, for a possible conflict, one day, which would be “symmetrical.” » Understand when faced with an enemy with the same, or even superior, forces. “Conflict has intensified, as has the level of threat, we see it everywhere, and it is part of our daily lives,” confirms Lieutenant-Colonel Laurent, commanding the 2/30 Normandy-Niemen fighter regiment.
A situation which has consequences on pilot training. “In training, there is always a basic foundation, because we don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” recalls Commander Vincent. But it is true that we are preparing more for high intensity, because tomorrow, we could suffer losses, which means that we must learn to continue the war with fewer resources, learn stock management… We are focuses more on these aspects than ten years ago. »