Escadron de Chasse 1/7 Provence


Escadron de Chasse 1/7 Provence is a French Air and Space Force fighter squadron currently stationed at BA 104 Al Dhafra Air Base which flies the Dassault Rafale B & C.
In 2006 it was the first unit to fly the Dassault Rafale. The Squadron's aircraft are marked 113-HA to 113-HZ.

History

Groupe de Chasse I/7 : from 1932 until October 1942Groupe de Chasse I/7 Provence : from November 1, 1943 until July 1, 1947 Groupe de Chasse I/1 Provence : from July 1, 1947 until November 17, 1951 Escadron de Chasse 1/7 Provence : as of March 1, 1962

Origins until the Second World War

The EC 1/7 Provence originated as Groupe de Chasse 1/7 GC 1/7 Dijon in 1932. In turn, it traces its own origin back to two World War I squadrons: Escadrille Spa.15 and Escadrille Spa.77. In January 1939 the fighter group 1/7 relocated to Tunisia, and subsequently moved to Egypt after the 1940 armistice. It was disbanded in October 1942.
Successive attachments included:1ere Escadre de Chasse : du 1 au 177e Escadre de Chasse : du 1 au 224e Escadre de Chasse : du 26 au 24

Indochina and Algeria

GC 1/7 was recreated in September 1943 as No. 328 Squadron RAF flying Spitfire Mark VB aircraft and participated in the North Africa campaign, the campaign to liberate Corsica and the Operation Dragoon, the landings in Provence, thus prompting the name Provence. At the end of World War II, the unit was awarded the "Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France)" and from December 1945 to January 1946, it received a consignment of captured Japanese Nakajima Ki-43 "Hayabusa" fighter planes. Groupe de Chasse 1/7 received its first Mistral in April 1953, participated in the Algerian War and was reequipped with Dassault Mystère IV operating out of Dijon military base. It was disbanded in September 1961.
Escadron de Chasse 1/7 Provence was recreated in March 1962 at Nancy – Ochey Air Base, using Mystère IV. In 1973, the Squadron became the first Air force unit to be equipped with the SEPECAT Jaguar and relocated to BA 113 Saint-Dizier – Robinson Air Base. 1/7 Provence Jaguars engaged in combat missions in Mauritania, in Chad, in the Gulf War (1990-1991) and in Bosnia. After the Escadron de Chasse 2/11 Vosges was disbanded, 1/7 Provence was expanded to 3 flights: la SPA 91 in December 1996.

The Jaguar (JAG) era

In July 2001 the squadron received several two-seat Jaguars and the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jets previously used by Escadron de Chasse 2/7 Argonne.

The Rafale era

The Jaguars were retired in July 2005 and replaced by Dassault Rafale one year later. In January 2007 1/7 Provence had twenty Rafale B and C. In March 2007 three Rafales were deployed to Dushanbe in Tajikistan, and carried out their first patrol over Afghanistan two days later.
In September 2007, 1/7 Provence Squadron's Alpha Jets were transferred to the newly recreated Escadron d'Entraînement 3/8 Côte d'Or.
In June 2016, 1/7 Provence Squadron's Rafales were forward deployed to BA 104 Al Dhafra Air Base.

Constituent Escadrilles

Escadrille 15Escadrille Spa.77
  • GC III/7 Furie

Bases

Aircraft