Escadron de Transformation Rafale 3/4 Aquitaine
Rafale Transition Squadron 3/4 Aquitaine | |
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Escadron de Transformation Rafale 3/4 Aquitaine | |
![]() Rafale B317 113-HO of the ETR 2/92. | |
Active | November 1, 1958 - present |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Fighter aircraft |
Part of | 4e Escadre de Chasse |
Garrison/HQ | BA 113 Saint-Dizier – Robinson Air Base |
Aircraft flown | |
Trainer | Dassault Rafale |
The Escadron de Transformation Rafale 3/4 Aquitaine (Rafale Transition Squadron 3/4 Aquitaine) is an Operational conversion unit of the French Air and Space Force (Armée de l'air et de l'espace) flying the Dassault Rafale, based at BA 113 Saint-Dizier – Robinson Air Base.
The unit has taken up the traditions of Escadron de Bombardement 2/92 Aquitaine (EB 2/92 Aquitaine) which operated SNCASO SO-4050 Vautour then CIFAS 328 Aquitaine on Dassault Mirage IVA.
The squadron was reformed under the designation of Escadron de Transformation Rafale 2/92 Aquitaine on October 6, 2010, at St-Dizier-Robinson, presided over by the then Minister of Défense.[1] The 2/92 Aquitaine was attached as of August 26, 2015 to the 4e Escadre de Chasse which was reformed the same day on the same base.[2]
The unit took the current designation of Escadron de Transformation Rafale 3/4 Aquitaine on September 1, 2016. The squadron operates the Rafales of the French Air and Space Force, and equally operates the Rafale M as part of French Naval Aviation. In 2017, three Rafale M were assigned to the squadron.[3]
History
[edit]Cognac
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Vautour292aquitaineweb.jpg/300px-Vautour292aquitaineweb.jpg)
The center of Bombardment instruction - Centre d'Instruction du Bombardment 328 (CIB 328) was established at Cognac. Constituted of a squadron on B-26 Invader and another on CM-170 Magister, SNCASO SO-4050 VautourIIA and Vautour IIB, the mission of the latter was the selection and instruction of future unit crews of the B-26 and the Squadrons of bombardment Vautour.
The 92nd Bombardment Brigade was formed on December 12, 1958, at Cognac. The Escadron de Bombardement 2/92 was created towards the end of 1959. On May 26 195, the squadron retook traditions of the GB I/25 Tunisia and adopted the designation of Escadron de Bombardement 2/92 Aquitaine (the "Tunisia" designation was abandoned after the country became independent).
In addition to the 2/92 of the 92nd Brigade was composed of the CIB 328 and the Escadron de Bombardement 1/92 Bourgogne. The three squadrons operated the twin-seat version of the Vautour IIB, with bombardment at high altitude as its principal mission.
On Vautour to Bordeaux
[edit]Between March and April 1961, the 92nd Brigade was based at Bordeaux-Merignac Air Base.
Four Vautours of the 2/92 were detached one month to Thailand for Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) exercises.
The 92nd Brigade became the 92e Escadre de Bombardement (92e EB) on May 1, 1964, with the 1/92 Bourgogne and 2/92 Aquitaine attached respectively to the unit.
Successive designations
[edit]- Escadron de Bombardement 2/92 Aquitaine: from November 1, 1958, until September 1, 1974 (EB 2/92 Aquitaine)
- Centre d'instruction des Forces aériennes stratégiques (CIFAS) 328 Aquitaine : from 01/09/1978 to 01/09/1991
- Centre d'Instruction Tactique (CITAC) 339 Aquitaine : from 05/03/2001 to 30/06/2006
- Escadron de Transformation Rafale 2/92 Aquitaine : from 01/06/2010 to 31/08/2015 (ETR 2/92 Aquitaine)
- Escadron de Transformation Rafale 3/4 Aquitaine : as of September 1, 2016 (ETR 3/4)
Successive attachments
[edit]- 92e Escadre de Bombardement : from 01/11/1958 to 01/09/1974
- 4e Escadre de Chasse : as of 26/08/2015
Escadrilles
[edit]- Escadrille 4B3
- Escadrille I/25 (2)
- Escadrille SPA 160 "Diables rouges" (since 1 September 2016)
See also
[edit]References
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
Citations
[edit]- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-06-04. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-08-26. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "44 Rafale Marine auront été livrés fin 2015". Mer et Marine. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
Bibliography
[edit]- Historique de la 25e Escadre de Bombardement 25eEB du CIFAS328 "Aquitaine" 1936-1992 - 56 ans d'histoire édité par l'escadron en 1992.