Current Title:	Armee De L'Air
Title in English:	French Air Force
Abbreviation:	AdlA

Narrative Summary:
December 1909 Army officers begin flying training at civilian schools. March 1910 Etablissement Militaire d'Aviation created to conduct experiments with aircraft. April 1910 formation of Service Aeronautique, a separate air command comprising EMA and balloon companies. October 1910 Aviation Militaire formed as branch of the Army. Massive expansion of AM during First World War. 27 April 1925 start of air policing operations in Morocco (continue until December 1934). 7 December 1928 Air Ministry created. August 1933 AM renamed Armee de l'Air. 2 July 1934 AdlA becomes independent service. 3 July 1940 Vichy Air Force formed under German control. August 1940 Free French Air Force formed : Forces Aeriennes Francaises Libres. 1943 Armee de l'Air reformed from Free French and ex-Vichy units.

Key Dates:
August 1933		French Air Force (Armee de l'Air) formed
2 July 1934		French Air Force independent of the Army
May 1940		Start of the Battle of France
22 June 1940		French Air Force grounded following surrender
3 July 1940		Vichy Air Force formed under German control
August 1940		Free French Air Force formed by the Allies
1 September 1942		French-manned Normandie-Niemen Fighter Regiment formed in USSR
1 December 1942		Germany disbands the Vichy Air Force
1 July 1943		Former Vichy and Free French air arms merged to reform the Armee de l'Air
1948		First operational jet aircraft delivered - Vampire
1951		First helicopters received - Alouette I

Current Status:
To be added

Future Plans:
Procurement of 234 Rafale to replace the Jaguar and then the Mirage F.1, (150 single seaters and 84 two seaters).
Retire the Mirage IVP in 2005.
E-3Fs to receive RSIP radar upgrade.
Procurement of 50 A400M transports to replace C-160 from around 2009.
DC-8s to be replaced by a new strategic transport, possibly the A330, which may also take on the air tanker role.
Requirement for 14 CSAR Cougars.

National Insignia:
Current --- Historical

Aircraft Serial Numbering System(s):

French Air Force aircraft carry French military serial numbers which are usually based on the manufacturers construction number for the airframe concerned. There is thus no overall numbering sequence, but a numbering sequence from 01 or 1 for each individual type. For example, MS.760 Paris 92 shares the same number as N.2501 Noratlas 92.

Unit/Base Aircraft Code System(s):
Most AdlA aircraft carry tactical code numbers of the form xx-AA, eg: Mirage 2000D 3-XE, where the first number denotes the Escadre (Wing), the first letter indicates the Escadron (Squadron) and the second letter denotes the individual aircraft.

Aircraft Designation System(s):
None - Manufacturers designations used

Current Aircraft Inventory:
Table of Current Service Aircraft

All-Time Aircraft Used List:
Alphabetical Order --- Chronological Order

Aircraft NOT Used:
False reports of aircraft on order or in service

Main Headquarters:
Etat-Major De l'Armee de l'Air, 26 Boulevard Victor, F-75996, Paris.

Current Organisational Structure:
The AdlA is geographically divided into three Regions Aeriennes (Air Regions), with no direct tactical control of aircraft:
RA Nord-Est (North East) HQ at Villacoublay
RA Atlantique (Atlantic) HQ at Bordeaux
RA Mediterranee (Mediterranean) HQ at Aix
RA's are responsible for personnel and infrastructure.

Operational units come under seven major commands:
CoFAS - Commandement des Forces Aeriennes Strategique (Strategic Air Forces Command)
CFAC - Commandement de la Force Aerienne de Combat (Air Combat Command)
CDAOA - Commandement de la Defence Aerienne et des Operations Aeriennes (Air Defence Command)
CFCA - Commandement des Fusiliers Commandos del'Air (Air Fusilier Commandos Command)
[This is equivalent to the UK's RAF Regiment - providing ground defence of air bases etc and participating in combat search and rescue missions.]
CFAP - Commandement de la Force Aerienne de Projection (Air Transport Command)
CEAA - Commandement des Ecoles de l'Armee de l'Air (Air Training Command)
CASSIC - Commandement Air des Systems de Surveillance d'Information et de Communications (Surveillance and Communications Command)

Basic operational units are the Escadre (Wing), Escadron (Squadron) and Escadrille (Flight).

Current Order of Battle:
Table of Current Order of Battle

Historical Orders of Battle:
List of Historical Orders of Battle - to be added.

All-Time Flying Units List:
To be added.

Current Air Bases:
See organisation table above.

All-Time Air Bases Used List:
In addition to the main bases, there are also a number of smaller airports and airfields around the country which are sometimes used by the Air Force.
Military Air Bases Listing - to be added.

Books:

French Military Aviation Bibliography - to be added.

Magazines:

World Air Power Journal No.10 p.136
Air Forces Monthly January 1998

Websites:

Official French Air Force website

wikipedia: French Air Force
wikipedia: Free French Air Force
wikipedia: Vichy French Air Force

Scramble: French Air Arms

PlanePictures.net

Airliners.net

Air-Britain Photos: French Air Force

Free French Air Force 1940-1945

Armee de L'Air - non officiel

The French Air Force In 1940