The Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine ("fighter Squadron 3/30 Lorraine") is a fighter Squadron of the French Air and Space Force (Armée de l'air et de l'espace) located at BA 118 Mont-de-Marsan Air Base which flies the Dassault Rafale C.
History
This Escadron is heir to the .
On June 27, 1994, the Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine was designated again 3/33 "Lorraine".
On June 18, 1996, the Escadron 3/33 Lorraine was awarded the Fourragere at the colors of the Order of Liberation by the President of France Jacques Chirac.
The 3/33 Lorraine, placed in a dormant phase in August 2005, was reactivated under the designation of 3/30 "Lorraine" in October 2010 on Aerial Base 104 Al Dhafra (Djibouti–Ambouli International Airport) in the United Arab Emirates to fly the Rafale and the Mirage 2000-5F, then only the Dassault Rafale from February 2011.
On December 15, 2015, a Rafale B dropped a SCALP missile for the first time during Opération Chammal over Iraq.
On June 24, 2016, the 3/30 Lorraine was integrated into the 30e Escadre de Chasse and replaced the 1/7 Provence on Saint-Dizier – Robinson Air Base. Only the traditions were transferred, not the personnel nor the aircraft. Accordingly, the aircraft were progressively repainted with the colors of the 3/30. The Escadron was transferred to BA 118 Mont-de-Marsan Air Base during the course of the following weeks.
Escadrilles The Escadron is formed of three escadrilles Until dissolution in 2005 : 1st Escadrille : Metz (from September 2, 1941, until June 27, 2005) 2nd Escadrille : Nancy (from September 2, 1941, until June 27, 2005) 3rd Escadrille : SPA 62 'Coq de Combat'(from July 1, 1988 until June 26, 1994, transferred as the 3rd Escadrille of the Escadron de Chasse 1/3 Navarre) 3rd Escadrille : Thionville (from September 1994 until June 27, 2005)
Since reactivation in 2010: SAL 56 "Scarabée" SPA 38 "Chardon de Lorraine" SPA 162 "Tigre" in 2016
Denominations & different designations
Groupe Réservé de Bombardement n°1: December 4, 1940 – September 2, 1941 Groupe de Bombardement n°1 Lorraine: September 2, 1941 – April 7, 1943 No. 342 Squadron RAF: April 7, 1943 – December 15, 1944 Groupe de Bombardement I/20 Lorraine: December 15, 1944 – March 11, 1946 Groupe de Reconnaissance I/20 Lorraine: March 11, 1946 – July 1, 1947 Groupe de Reconnaissance I/31 Lorraine: July 1, 1947 – November 1, 1949 Groupe de Chasse de Nuit 1/31 Lorraine: November 1, 1949 – July 1, 1953 Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine: July 1, 1953 – March 1, 1962 Escadron de Chasse Tout-Temps 3/30 Lorraine: March 1, 1962 – December 20, 1973 Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine: December 20, 1973 – June 27, 1994 Escadron de Chasse 3/33 Lorraine: June 27, 1994 – July 26, 2005 Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine: Since October 2010
Locations From 1961 until 2005, the escadron was successively equipped with Vautour IIN, then Mirage F1, has been deployed on Reims – Champagne Air Base. The latter was reactivated in 2010 on Al Dhafra Air Base, in the United Arab Emirates. In 2016, the Escadron was transferred temporary to Saint-Dizier – Robinson Air Base on June 24, 2016, before joining Mont-de-Marsan Air Base.
BA 112 Reims – Champagne Air Base (1961 to 2005) BA 104 Al Dhafra Air Base (2010 to 2016) BA 113 Saint-Dizier – Robinson Air Base (2016) BA 118 Mont-de-Marsan Air Base (2016–present)
Aircraft Sud Aviation Vautour (1957 to 1974) Dassault Mirage F1C (from June 1974 until June 25, 2003) Dassault Mirage F1B (from June 1994 until July 26, 2005) Dassault Mirage F1CT (from August 2003 until July 26, 2005) Dassault Mirage 2000-5F (From October 2010 until February 2011) Dassault Rafale C (October 2010 until present day)
See also
List of French Air and Space Force aircraft squadrons
References
Bibliography