Air Combat Command
(CFAC Commandement de la Force Aérienne de Combat)
The Air Combat Command (CFAC = Commandement de la Force Aérienne de Combat) is a powerful offensive and defensive force that may be deployed to any corner of the globe. It is responsible for numerous and diverse roles. It assures: the defence of French national airspace, the functioning of the air combat intelligence network. It ensures the presence of combat aircraft in the right place at the right time. At any level (crisis, regional or generalized conflict) it conducts: the air battle in order to win air superiority, offensive air actions on land and sea, air tasking such as electronic and photographic intelligence. In the field of deterrence.
it contributes conventional air assets to the nuclear mission.
The in-flight refuelling capability available to all the units of the Air Combat Command enables them to operate on a global scale. The pre-positioning of combat aircraft units, mainly in Africa and in our overseas departments and territories, considerably increases the operating radius of these assets. Finally, since most military operations are by their very nature unpredictable, often set within the framework of ad-hoc alliances or coalitions, the interoperability of units and command structures is a major objective.
In order to fulfil its assignment, the Air Combat Command focuses on two key aspects:
maintaining high availability of its assets, giving its personnel optimal combat preparation which is founded on minimal air activity for pilots of 180 flying hours per year and on operational training which emphasizes realism, interoperability and familiarity with state of the art equipment.
ASSETS
In order to achieve its role the Air Combat Command has the following assets at its disposal:
Personnel: about 6,700 men and women; this manpower would be augmented by approxi-mately
540 reserve personnel in the case of mobilization.
Equipment: 315 operational combat aircraft, assigned to 15 front line squadrons and 2 reconnaissance squadrons. In order to fulfil its electromagnetic intelligence role, the Command includes the 54th Air Intelligence Wing with two Transalls at its disposal.
It has also a command center located in Fort de Guise, protected against every kind of threat (conventional, NBC, EMI). This center is responsible for: the supervision of training activity, the condition of all assets and the operational status of units, the management of deployed staff.
Sources and Methods
http://www.fas.org/irp/world/france/defense/air/cfac.htm
Created by John Pike
Maintained by Webmaster
Updated Monday, November 15, 1999 12:55:32 PM
