The French Air and Space Force (French: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, lit. 'Army of Air and Space') is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces.[1] Formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the French Air Force. On 10 September 2020, it assumed its current name, the French Air and Space Force, to reflect an "evolution of its mission" into the area of outer space.[2]
The number of aircraft in service with the French Air and Space Force varies depending on the source; the Ministry of Armed Forces gives a figure of 658 aircraft in 2014.[3][4] According to 2018 data, this figure includes 210 combat aircraft: 115 Dassault Mirage 2000 and 95 Dassault Rafale.[5] As of 2021,[update] the French Air and Space Force employs a total of 40,500 regular personnel, with a reserve element of 5,187 in 2014.[6]
The Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force (CEMAAE) is a direct subordinate of the Chief of the Defence Staff (CEMA), a high-ranking military officer who in turn answers to the civilian Minister of the Armed Forces.[7]
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- ^ "Armée de l'Air et de I'Espace". defense.gouv.fr. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ "France: Goodbye Air Force, hello Air and Space Force". 12 September 2020.
- ^ "Annuaire statistique de la défense 2013–2014" (in French). 10 July 2014.
- ^ "Annuaire statistiques de la défense 2012–2013". Archived 1 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine (in French). 4 June 2013.
- ^ "Dassault Aviation Group: Order intake, deliveries and backlog in units as of December 31st, 2018" (PDF). Dassault Aviation. 7 January 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 January 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- ^ "Key defence figures 2014" (PDF) (in French). Defense.gouv.fr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 December 2014.
- ^ "L'organisation de l'armée de l'Air et de l'Espace". defense.gouv.fr. Retrieved 2 June 2024.