Exercise Garuda 2025 sees the Indian Air Force back in France with their Sukhoi SU-30MKI jets at Mont-de-Marsan.

The eighth edition of Exercise Garuda arrived back in France at Mont-de-Marsan Air Base 118 on the 12th of November, and with it came 6 Sukhoi SU-30MKI-3s from the Indian Air Force, 10 Rafales, 6 Mirage 2000s and numerous support aircraft. This is a bilateral exercise organised alternately between France and India.

This 2025 Exercise was focused on air defence, ground attack, tactical cooperation, and missions with in-flight refuelling. In-flight refuelling is being conducted by A330 MRTTs from Istres Air Base.  

 

The Indian Air Force's participation list.

Sukhoi SU-30MKI-3

SB057

SB133

SB155

SB199

SB213

SB330

Support aircraft to MdM.

C17 Globemaster III

CB8002

CB8003

CB8008

In-flight refuelling from India via Ciaro.

Ilouchine IL 76 

KJ3449

KJ3450

Both landed at Istres Air Base.

EXERCISE GARUDA 2025.

360 30-SI Rafale B EC01.030 AdlA from Mont-de-Marsan.

SB199 SU-30MKI running in for a tactical break for landing.

SB199 SU-30MKI-3 approaching runway 27 at MdeM.

 SU-30MKI-3 gear down for landing.

SB213 SU-30MKI-3 Indian Air Force.

E68 8-MO Alpha Jet E from EE03.008.

359 30-FZ Rafale B EC01.030 'Côte d'Argent' AdlA.

SB133 Sukhoi SU-30MKI-3 Indian Air Force.

Rafales for the break

Tactical break.

102 30-EF Rafale C EC02.030 SPA91 'Aigle à tête de mort' (Death's Head Eagle) AdlA.

32 Rafale M operating from MdeM, although from ETR03.004 St Dizier.

Sun setting on Little and Large!

646 30-MO Mirage 2000D RMV EC01.030 AldA

SB330 SU-30MKI-3.

SB330 Sukhoi SU-30MKI-3 Indian Air Force.

SB057 SU-30MKI-30.

SB057 Sukhoi SU-30MKI-3 Indian Air Force.

1381/ER TBM-940 from the DGA-EV at Cazaux.

A400 turning finals with the remnants of the early morning dense fog.

0053 F-RBAK A400 from Orleans-Bricy.

5074 61-PQ C-130H from Everux.

327 M346A RSiAF early morning practice approach. The weather has taken a turn for the worse.

327 M346A RSiAF 150 Sqn at Cazaux.

5114 61-PA C-130H from Everux.

660 30-JF Mirage 2000D RMV AdlA.

SB133 using the airbrake.

SB133 Sukhoi SU-30MKI-3 Indian Air Force landing in the grey. The weather brings my trip to an end at Mont-de-Marsan once again.

See my trip to Volfa 2025, also at Mont-de-Marsan, here:- 

https://legendarymilavia.blogspot.com/2025/11/exercise-volfa-2025-french-air-force.html

Happy Days!

 

Cognac BA709 Meeting National Airshow 2022

It was a long wait. The Châteaubernard airbase in Cognac was selected to host the 2020 Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace Meeting National, also known as the National Air Force Airshow. However, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic cancelled this event, along with most other major gatherings.

A new date was set for 2021, but another wave of COVID-19 swept the globe, resulting in the cancellation again. By 2022, it was uncertain what would happen next.

As dates began to appear on the 2022 airshow calendar, it was finally announced that Cognac would host that year's National Meeting, which had been postponed for the previous two years.

The last airshow held at Cognac was in 2013. Since then, much has changed. The TB-30 Epsilon training aircraft have been replaced by Pilatus PC-21s, civilian-registered Grob G120As operated by SOCATA/EADS, and AdlA MQ-9A Reaper drones, which are now based at Cognac.

12/709FN PC-21 seen landing back at Cognac.

532/33-EN MQ-9A Reaper ED.02.033 'Savoie'.

94/315-XK TB-30 Epsilon "Petit Prince" special marks are one of two preserved at Cognac; the other is 105/F-SEXV, which is in the colours of the "Cartouche Doré" display team.

650/3-IA Mirage 2000D from EC01.003 at Nancy-Ochey arriving for the static display.

A footnote: After weeks of sunshine, the Friday arrival day was to see overcast and misty conditions.

CE.16-01/11-01 EF2000T Ala 11 EdA. Arriving along with C.16-52/11-52 and C.16-40/11-40, both EF2000s are also from Ala 11.

46+44 Tornado ECR TLG51 GAF.

F-AYSB F-86A Sabre marked as 01675/FU-675 ex 01+13.

Sunrise on Saturday morning, with a clear sky and temperatures reaching a sweltering 36°.

2802/SK EC725R EH01.067 AdlA.

H29 A109BA 1W BAF Special colours.

204 Mi-8MTV from Split/Divulge Barracks, Croatia, 345 ETH Helicopter transport Eskadrilla.

T.21-05/35-05 C295M 353Esc EdA.

C.16-52/11-52 EF2000 and CE.16-01/11-52 EF2000T on the Flightline.

059 PC-9M.'Wings of Storm's Croatian Air Force display team.

F-ZBME/44 CL415 Securite Civil.

322 M346A 150 Sqn RSiAF. 

1381/ER TBM-940 DGA-EV.

510 and 538 F-16C 343 Mira HAF' Team Zeus'.

510 F-16C 343 Mira early morning practice flight.

15/709FQ PC-21 with 04/709FF and 05/709FG from tactical demonstration team 'Mustang X Ray'

122/30-GA RafaleC EC03.030 of the Vautour tactical demonstration team from Mont de Marsan.

110/30-IN RafaleC EC03.030 of the Vautour tactical demonstration team from Mont de Marsan.

 Seen landing 0110/F-RBAR A400M ET04.061 Sp/C.

109/115-YH Mirage 2000C EC02.005.

F-AZKM )V-10B marked as 155454/UU-26 USMC ex 99+24.

F-AZXV CM170 marked 479/2-HB.

 

French Air Force Team Mustang X-Ray taxi.

122/30-GA RafaleC EC03.030 Sp/C was seen on Saturday before the Sunday mishap when 110/30-IN clipped its tailplane. Both aircraft from the Vautour team landed safely, although debris dropped from 122/30-GA damaged a house in a local village. Luckily, nobody was injured or worse. 

The cause may have been a wind gust, as a large storm was forecast for Sunday evening, which would break the intense heat of the weekend.

136/4-GO Rafale Solo presentation coming from St Dizier.

2802/SK EC725R from EH01.067' Pyrénées' from BA 120 at Cazaux.

The EC725R 'Caracal' is used by special forces, as was demonstrated.

PC-9Ms of the Croatian Air Force' Wings of the Storm' practise during Friday's misty weather.

 

E80 Alpha Jet E DGA-EV leads Monday's departures. The weather had changed to heavy rain overnight, and it had not stopped by the time of the show's departures.

120/115-KC Mirage 2000C from EC02.005.

The 120/115-KC Mirage 2000C from EC02.005 was notable for some fascinating, particularly marked aircraft.

109/115-YH Mirage 2000C EC02.005

136/4-GO Rafale C ETR03.004. Solo presentation team special marks.

322 M346A 150Sqn RSiAF Special colours, showing how bad Monday's conditions were. Not to mention how wet I was! 

322 M346A RSiAF close-up of the special marks.

140/4-GS Rafale C ETR03.004 spare aircraft.

146/30-GY Rafale arriving at Cognac Monday morning from Mont de Marsan.

30 Rafale M FN Special colours.

198/XE Jodel D140E  EIVV25.535 'Cordouan'. departing home to BA722 at Saintes/Thénac.

725/UV HK-36TTC also from EIVV25.535 'Cordouan'

510 F-16C 343Mira HAF.

538 F-16C 343Mira HAF.

A farewell wave from 'Mustang X-Ray'

To see the 2004 meeting, press the link below.

https://legendarymilavia.blogspot.com/2021/04/cognac-sunshine-fast-jets-great-colour.html