Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine


The Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine is a fighter Squadron of the French Air and Space Force located at BA 118 Mont-de-Marsan Air Base which flies the Dassault Rafale C.

History

This Escadron is heir to the.
On June 27, 1994, the Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine was designated again 3/33 "Lorraine".
On June 18, 1996, the Escadron 3/33 Lorraine was awarded the Fourragere at the colors of the Order of Liberation by the President of France Jacques Chirac.
The 3/33 Lorraine, placed in a dormant phase in August 2005, was reactivated under the designation of 3/30 "Lorraine" in October 2010 on Aerial Base 104 Al Dhafra in the United Arab Emirates to fly the Rafale and the Mirage 2000-5F, then only the Dassault Rafale from February 2011.
On December 15, 2015, a Rafale B dropped a SCALP missile for the first time during Opération Chammal over Iraq.
On June 24, 2016, the 3/30 Lorraine was integrated into the 30e Escadre de Chasse and replaced the 1/7 Provence on Saint-Dizier – Robinson Air Base. Only the traditions were transferred, not the personnel nor the aircraft. Accordingly, the aircraft were progressively repainted with the colors of the 3/30. The Escadron was transferred to BA 118 Mont-de-Marsan Air Base during the course of the following weeks.

Escadrilles

The Escadron is formed of three escadrilles
Until dissolution in 2005 :
  • 1st Escadrille : Metz
  • 2nd Escadrille : Nancy
  • 3rd Escadrille : SPA 62 'Coq de Combat'
  • 3rd Escadrille : Thionville
Since reactivation in 2010:
  • SAL 56 "Scarabée"
  • SPA 38 "Chardon de Lorraine"
  • SPA 162 "Tigre" in 2016

Denominations & different designations

Groupe Réservé de Bombardement n°1: December 4, 1940 – September 2, 1941Groupe de Bombardement n°1 Lorraine: September 2, 1941 – April 7, 1943
  • No. 342 Squadron RAF: April 7, 1943 – December 15, 1944Groupe de Bombardement I/20 Lorraine: December 15, 1944 – March 11, 1946Groupe de Reconnaissance I/20 Lorraine: March 11, 1946 – July 1, 1947Groupe de Reconnaissance I/31 Lorraine: July 1, 1947 – November 1, 1949Groupe de Chasse de Nuit 1/31 Lorraine: November 1, 1949 – July 1, 1953Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine: July 1, 1953 – March 1, 1962Escadron de Chasse Tout-Temps 3/30 Lorraine: March 1, 1962 – December 20, 1973Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine: December 20, 1973 – June 27, 1994Escadron de Chasse 3/33 Lorraine: June 27, 1994 – July 26, 2005Escadron de Chasse 3/30 Lorraine: Since October 2010

Locations

From 1961 until 2005, the escadron was successively equipped with Vautour IIN, then Mirage F1, has been deployed on Reims – Champagne Air Base. The latter was reactivated in 2010 on Al Dhafra Air Base, in the United Arab Emirates. In 2016, the Escadron was transferred temporary to Saint-Dizier – Robinson Air Base on June 24, 2016, before joining Mont-de-Marsan Air Base.

Aircraft