Exercise "Orion 23" hosts Indian Airforce Rafale fighter jets at BA118 Mont de Marsan full photo report.

Exercise Orion 23 is reportedly the most prominent multinational exercise  French armed forces have undertaken. It has been in the planning since 2021 and involved thousands of French troops supplemented with troops and aircraft from Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Stage four of the exercise witnessed the Airforcees flying against the hostile forces known as "Mecure". The primary fighter response came from Base Arriene Mont-de-Marsan. It included the Indian Air Force with four French-built Rafales alongside the Hellenic Air Force Mirage 2000s, a mix of home-based Rafales and Mirage 2000s and four St Dizier-based Rafale jets. Stage four of this multinational exercise looked interesting and ran from the 17th of April to the 5th of May, 2023.

Following the visit to Cobra Warrior on 23/1, I looked forward to warm sunshine in the Southwest of France. Unfortunately, things only got worse with three days of continuous drizzle and heavy rain before I threw in the towel (quite literally).

RB 001 Rafale DH from 17Sqn "Golden Arrows" is based at Ambala Airforce Station India.

The Indian Air Force (Bharatiya Vayu Sena) F3 line Rafales have been given fourteen specific upgrades, which include a viewing helmet and a towable anti-missile decoy.

RB 001 Rafale DH Indian Air Force.

The four Bharatiya Vayu Sena  Rafale DHs arrived at Mont de Marsan from India via a stopover in Egypt. They were accompanied by two Boeing C-17 transport aircraft and two support IL-78 tankers, both of which returned to Eygpt without landing in France.

RB 002 Rafale DH from 17Sqn "Golden Arrows" Ambala AFS India. 

RB 007 Rafale DH lands back at Mont de Marsan, Southwest France.

RB 005 Rafale DH 17 Sqn "Golden Arrows" 

RB 005 Rafale DH 17 Sqn "Golden Arrows" landing at Mont de Marsan in the awful weather.

In fact, it was the worst weather I had photographed since the defence week at Landivisau years ago when the Italian F-16s took part in the Defence Week exercise.

309/30-HB Rafale B ECE01.303 Special colours CEAM Tail.

Mixed launches of French and Indian Rafales.

179/30-GH Rafale C EC02.030 'Normandie-Niemen' SPA91 'Aigle à tête de mort' AdlA.

359/30-FZ Rafale B EC03.030 AdlA.

148/30-VA Rafale C AdlA.

318/30-HM Rafale B AdlA

104/30-HH Rafale C EC03.030 'Lorraine' SPA162 'Tete de tigre' AdlA.

309/30-HB Rafale B ECE01.303 'Côte de Argent' 90 years Special colours. 

CEAM Centre d'Expertise Arienes Militaires (Air Warfare Centre).

Thunder over Mont de Marsan.

146/30-GY Rafale C ECE01.303 'Côte de Argent' BR128 'Le Scarabée blanc' AdlA.

552 Mirage 2000-5EG 331Mira HAF.

552 Mirage 2000-5EG.

The Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polemiki Aeroporia) contingent consisted of three Mirage 2000-5EGs 549, 552, and 553 and one Mirage 2000BG 506.

 

506 Mirage 2000BG  331 Mira with their discreet blue and white chequerboard fin marking.

639/3-JJ Mirage 2000D RMV EC02.003'Campagne' SPA67 'Cicogne de Navarre' AdlA.

 

622/30-IL Mirage 2000D RMV.

622/30-IL Mirage 2000D RMV.

341/4-FH Rafale B EC01.004 'Gascogne' BR66 'Faucon de Egyptian' AdlA.

344/4-FK Rafale B EC01.004 'Gascogne' SPA37 'Charnognard' AdlA.

327/4-HZ Rafale B 'Gascogne' SPA37 'Charnognard' AdlA.

355/4-FV Rafale B EC01.004 'Gascogne' it still wearing "Casque de bayarol' Sqn Marks.

2626/SD EC725R2 from EH01.067 'Pyrénées'from BA120 at Cazaux.

3455/VT AS555AN EH03.067 'Parisis' from BA107 Villacoublay.

78/XE TBM-7000A 'CEAM' named 'Daligaunobile' lands at Mont de Marsan. 

RB002 Rafale DH Indian Air Force landed at BA118 just after midday on my third day.

After three days of rain, I am heading home.

Happy "Damp" Days!

 

Atlantic Trident 21 Exercise, Mont-de-Marsan airbase France

The "Atlantic Trident 2021" integration exercise was coming to BA118 at Mont-de-Marsan airbase in the Southwest of France. This is the third in a series of Atlantic Trident exercises involving aircraft from the United States of America, France, and the United Kingdom. The previous two had been held in 2015 and 2017  at Langley-Eustis Airbase in Virginia. This was the first outside of the USA and was held between the 17th and 28th of May 2021. 

 

The aircraft participation list looked very respectable, with F-35A USAF, F-35B USMC, Eurofighter   (Typhoons) and Hawks from the RAF, and home-based Rafales, Mirage 2000, Alpha Jets and PC-21 FAF. 

The exercise would also call on a large amount of support aircraft. 

17-5268 F-35A 421stFS/388thFW "Black Widows" USAFRC.

  

With fifty latest-generation aircraft practising combined simulated raids within French airspace, this was a chance to promote standard procedures in high-intensity air combat.

The USAF F-35s were from the 4th Fighter Squadron based in Utah and comprised aircraft from the 388th Fighter Wing and the 419th Fighter Wing with its reservist airmen.

Firstly, I am giving time to the USAF as they arrived days ahead of the exercise and have a transit story of their own.

They arrived at Mont-de-Marsan on Monday, 10th May. Over the previous weekend, numerous reports of their support tanker movements were circulating on internet forums. They departed Hill AFB early Monday morning and arrived overhead BA118 that evening. Excellent images were captured as the second wave "TREND 21-26" passed overhead Newcastle in the UK at 26,000 feet, with one chick refuelling from support KC-135T 58-0072 "ROMA64"  and four others tucked around it.

See the link below.

https://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=204603#p1295381

   

They arrived in two cells: TREND 11-16 and TREND 21-26.

17-5261 F-35A 34thFS/388thFW HL "Rude Rams".

They comprised 5X F-35A from the 4th FS HL "Fighting Fuujins".

 3X 34th FS HL "Rude Rams."

4X 421st FS AFRC "Black Widows."

17-5248 F-35A 421stFS/388FW HL "Black Widows"

335/4-IJ Rafale B EC001.004 leads one of the exercises morning multiple launches. Mont-de-Marsan town rattled and reverberated under the power of collective fast jets launching in numerous waves during the exercise. 

15-5196 F-35A 4thFS/388FW HL "Fighting Fuujins".

The only fiscal year 15 airframe, all others f/yr17.

335/4-IJ Rafale 'B' EC01.004.'Gascogne' SPA 79 "Tête de Loup" C/S F-UHIJ.

 

334/4-II Rafale 'B' EC02.004. 'Fayette' SPA 167 "Cigone de Romanet" C/S F-UHII.

 

323/4-HT Rafale 'B' EC01.004. 'Gascogne' BR 66 "Faucon Eygptian" C/S F-UHHT.

308/4-HA Rafale 'B' EC01.004 'Gascogne' SPA 79 "Tête de Loup" C/S F-UHHA.

124/30-GC Rafale 'C' EC03.030 'Lorraine' SPA162 "Tête de Tigre" C/S F-UHGC.

329/30-ID Rafale 'B' EC03.030 'Lorraine' SPA162 "Tête de Tigre" C/S F-UHID

325/4-HX Rafale 'B' ETR03.004 4B3 Aquitaine "Hibou" C/S F-UHHX.

110/30-IN Rafale 'C' EC03.030 SPA38 "Chardon Lorraine"  C/S F-UHIN

109/4-IM Rafale 'C' ETR03.004 C/S F-UHIM.

654/30-ID Mirage 2000D ECE01.030 "Côte d'Argent" BR27 "le Tigre" C/S F-UGID. 

654/30-ID Mirage 2000D ECE01.030 "Côte d'Argent" BR27 "le Tigre" C/S F-UGID. 

The Patrouille de France arrived on Wednesday, 26th May, for a base display the following lunchtime, along with four ship flypasts by the French Rafales and American F-35s. 

 

105/4-HE Rafale 'C' EC01.004 Prev EC01.030 2.GB1/25 "Bison" C/S F-UHHE.

327/4-HZ Rafale 'B' EC01.004 SPA37 "Charognard" C/S F-UHHZ.

127/30-GF Rafale 'C' EC01.030 "Côte d'Argent" BR128 "le Scarabée Blanc" C/S F-UHGF.  Ex 7-GF "Provence" at Al Dhafra. 

E168/8-FP Alpha Jet EE03.008 "Côte d'Or" SPA65 "Chimére d'argent" C/S F-UGFP.  

E68/8-MO Alpha Jet EE03.008 SPA? Not known C/S F-TEMO.

325/4-HX  Rafale 'B' ETR03.004 4B3 Aquitaine "Hibou" C/S F-UHHX.

324/30-HW Rafale 'B' EC03.030 "Lorraine" C/S F-UHHW

131/30-GJ Rafale'C' EC02.030 "Nornadie-Niemen" SPA93 "Canard Col Vert" C/SF-UHGJ.

Then the USAF F-35s.

17-5253 F-35A  4thFS/388FW HL "Fighting Fuujins" USAF.

17-5252 F-35A 4thFS/388FW HL "Fighting Fuujins" USAF.

17-5261 F-35A 34th FS/388th FW HL "Rude Rams" USAF.

17-5270 F-35A 421stFS/388thFW "Black Widows" USAFRC.

17-5243 F-35A 4thFS/388FW HL "Fighting Fuujins" USAF.

Mission complete.

17-5268 and 17-5270 run and break.

17-5268 F-35A 421stFS/388thFW "Black Widows" USAFRC.

17-5270 F-35A 421stFS/388thFW "Black Widows" USAFRC.

17-5243  F-35A 4thFS/388FW HL "Fighting Fuujins" USAF.

17-5253  F-35A 4thFS/388FW HL "Fighting Fuujins" USAF.

17-5268  F-35A 421stFS/388thFW "Black Widows" USAFRC.

146/XR TBM700 ET00.041 "Verdon" 1 Esc. "GAEL"  from BA107 at Villacoublay/Vélizy.

17-5238  F-35A 421stFS/388thFW "Black Widows" USAFRC.

17-5261 34thFS/388thFW HL "Rude Rams" USAF.

158/62-IR CN235M-200 ET01.062 "Vercours" SPA BI 55 "Lévrier" C/S F-RAIR.

Four Dassault Rafales from EC01.004 "Gascogne" from Saint-Dizier Robinson arrive back overhead Mont-de-Marsan.

308/4-HA Rafale 'B' EC01.004 'Gascogne' SPA 79 "Tête de Loup" C/S F-UHHA,

 

323/4-HT Rafale 'B' EC01.004 'Gascogne' BR64 'Faucon Egyptien' C/S F-UHHT.

352/4-FS Rafale 'B' EC02.004 'Gascogne' SPA96 "Gaulois" C/S F-UHFS.

335/4-IJ Rafale 'B' EC02.004  'Gascogne' SPA 79 "Tête de Loup" C/S F-UHIJ

04/709FK PC-21 EAC 00.315 C/S F-RBFF from BA709 Cognac/Châteauoux Bernard.

 

09/709FK PC-21 EAC 00.315 C/S F-RBFK.

Support aircraft for the exercise were drawn from BA123 at Orléans/Bricy with A400M and C-130H, BA125 at Istres/Le Tube C-135FR and A330MRT, BA702 with its EDCA-36's E-3F's and BA120 at Cazaux with its EH01.067 'Pyrénées' EC725R2's 'Caracals'.

  

0073/F-RBAN A400M landing back at its base at Orléans/Bricy. 

93/XL TBM700 ET00.041 "Verdon" 1 Esc. "GAEL" from BA107 at Villacoublay/Vélizy.

XX332/CD Hawl T1A 100 Sqn RAF from RAF Leeming landing at Mont-de-Marsan.

84-0096 C21A 76th AS, "Special air mission Europe" from Ramstein AB Germany.

17-5264  F-35A 421stFS/388thFW "Black Widows" USAFRC.

17-5252 F-35A 4thFS/388FW HL "Fighting Fuujins" USAF.

17-5253 F-35A  4thFS/388FW HL "Fighting Fuujins" USAF.

146/30-GY Rafale 'C' EC03.030 SAL56 "Scarabée" F-UHGY.

639/3-JJ Mirage 2000D Renove of EC 02.003 SPA67 "Cicogne de Navarre." C/S F-UGJJ. 

To learn more about this modified Mirage, click the link below.

https://legendarymilavia.blogspot.com/2021/05/mirage-2000d-renove-armee-de-lair.html

354/30-FU Rafale 'B'  EC02.030 "Normandie-Niemen" C/S F-UHFU.

126/30-GE Rafale 'C' EC02.030 "Normandie-Niemen" C/S F-UHGE.

105/4-HE Rafale 'C' EC01.004  'Gascogne'  Prev EC01.030 2.GB1/25 "Bison" C/S F-UHHE.

327/4-HZ Rafale 'B' EC01.004 'Gascogne' SPA37 "Charognard" C/S F-UHHZ.

327/4-HZ Rafale 'B' EC01.004  'Gascogne' SPA37 "Charognard" C/S F-UHHZ.

Phew! 'Happy Days"