French Air Force

Armée de l'Air
Founded	1909 (independent in 1933)
Country	France
Size	57,400 Regulars 867 aircraft
Part of	French Armed Forces
Commanders
Chief of Staff of the French Air Force	Général d'Armée aérienne Jean-Paul Paloméros
Insignia
Roundel	Aircraft inventory The French Air Force operates a fleet of 867 active aircraft. This includes fighters, transport aircraft, passenger transport and helicopters. 150 comprise the air mobility force (CFAP) and include aircraft such as C-160 and the C-130 Hercules. The CFAP also includes 80 helicopters like the Super Puma and the Ecureuil. 306 combat aircraft are incorporated into 19 squadrons. The Air 2010 concept allows for 300 fighters, mainly composed of the new generation multirole combat airplane Rafale. Aircraft Origin Type Versions In service Notes Combat aircraft Dassault Mirage 2000 France Fighter Aircraft Attack Aircraft Trainer Aircraft 5F/C D B 185 34x Mirage 2000-5F, 52x Mirage 2000C 80x Mirage 2000D 21x Mirage 2000B, Dassault Mirage F1 France Trainer Aircraft Reconnaissance Attack Aircraft F1B FCR/FCT 65 7x Mirage F1B 48x Mirage F1CR, 10x Mirage F1CT Dassault Rafale France Multirole Fighter B C 56 38x Rafale B 18x Rafale C Total Aircraft 306 Trainers Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet France Trainer Aircraft (Advanced) Alpha Jet E 140 Embraer EMB 121 Xingu Brazil Trainer Aircraft EMB 121 30 Jodel D-140 France Trainer Aircraft 18 Socata TB France Trainer Aircraft TB 30 Epsilon 92 Walter Extra 300 Germany Trainer Aircraft (Aerobatic) Extra 300SC 3 Total Aircraft 283 Transports Dassault Falcon 50 France VIP Transport Falcon 50 4 Dassault Falcon 900 France VIP Transport Falcon 900 2 Dassault Falcon 7X France VIP Transport Falcon 7X 1 Socata TBM France VIP Transport TBM 700 16 Airbus A319 European Union VIP Transport A319-115 CJ 2 Airbus A330 European Union VIP Transport A330-223 1 Airbus A340 European Union Strategic Transport A340-211 2 Airbus A310 European Union Strategic Transport A310-304 3 Lockheed C-130 Hercules United States Tactical Transport C-130H/C-130H-30 14 CASA CN-235 Spain Tactical Transport CN-235-200/CN-235-200M 19 Transall C-160 France Germany Tactical Transport C-160R 51 de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Canada Utility transport DHC-6 5 Total Aircraft 115 Transport/Search and Rescue Eurocopter AS 532 Cougar European Union Transport AS 532UL 7 Eurocopter AS 532 Cougar European Union Transport AS 332L 3 Eurocopter AS 555 Fennec European Union Utility AS 555AN 42 Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma France Transport helicopter SA 330 29 Total Aircraft 79 Maritime Patrol/Reconnaissance/Tanker Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker United States Refuelling C-135FR 14 1985 Boeing E-3 Sentry United States Airborne early warning E-3F 4 1991 Transall C-160 France Germany ELINT C-160G Gabriel 2 Total Aircraft 20 Nuclear strike Mirage 2000N France Nuclear strike Mirage 2000/N 64 64x Mirage 2000N Total Aircraft 64 Total Air Craft in service Total Aircraft 867