French Air Force

In order to meet future threats and remain operationally relevant, the Armee de l’Air et de l’Espace (French Air and Space Force) is constantly investing to modernise and renew its inventory of fighters, transport aircraft, helicopters, trainers, unmanned aerial vehicles, air-defence systems and satellites. After years of reduced budgets following the so-called ‘Cold War peace dividends’, French defence spending and investment in military aircraft are on the rise again. Numerous types of fixed-wing aircraft and rotorcraft that have flown beyond their envisioned retirement dates are finally being withdrawn and replaced by a whole range of new generation aircraft. The switch from Cold War-era types to digitally enabled assets has helped boost the Armee de l’Air et de l’Espace’s operational capabilities considerably. All the fixed-wing and rotary aircraft types currently in operation with the French Air and Space Force’s front-line squadrons and training units are presented in detail.