Exercise VOLFA 2025 French Air Force Base 118 at Mont de Marsan hosts this annual air operations.

Exercise 'Volfa' 2025 kicked off at Base Aérienne BA118 Mont-de-Marsan on the 22nd September until 10th October. Fifty aircraft and multiple crews joined the exercise. For the fighter jets, coming from numerous French bases and the Greek and Italian Air Forces, all were based at Mont-de-Marsan. The transport aircraft were assembled at Base Aérienne 123 Orléans-Bricy; they included aircraft from the Air Forces of Canada and the UK, as well as the helicopter element based at Cazaux.  

This annual French Exercise is a test of operational readiness. I visited Mont-de-Marsan, where the French, Greek, and Italian air forces were simulating up to 20 complex air raids, both day and night, across a full spectrum of air operations, including air superiority and reconnaissance missions, in a high-intensity warfare environment. Sadly, the weather was not at its best, but one has to take the opportunities as they come.

EXERCISE VOLFA 2025.

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The objective: to demonstrate mastery of tactical know-how, strengthen the preparation of forces and affirm air superiority.

Before the sun has risen above the mass of conifers surrounding  Base Aérienne BA118 Mont-de-Marsan, the first Rafales are getting airborne, followed by Mirage 2000-5Fs, Mirage D's, Greek air force F-16's and Italian Tornado ECR jets. 

The light is terrible, but it is worth the memories: Mirage 2000-5F 41 2-FZ from GC01.002 at Luxeuil reheats out of M de M. Three Mirage 2000-5F are deployed here for Volfa 25, the other two being 54 2-EZ and 47 2-EP.

47 2-EP Mirage 2000-5D heading for TRA43, an airspace reserved for military operations.

Mirage 2000D 637 3-XQ leads, followed by 606 3-JC, 626 3-IC and 615 3-JY, all from EC03.003 at Nancy-Ochey.

637 3-XQ Mirage 2000D on a mission to the Massif Central area of France.

Greek air force F-16CGs 518, 520, 510, and F-16DG 610. 

By the time the sun is up, some aircraft are returning.

Italian air force Tornados break for landing.

6° Stormo Italian Air Force patch.

MM7055 6-65 Tornado ECR MLU Itaf coming from GEA 6° Stormo based at Ghedi.

MM7024 6-50 Tornado ECR MLU Itaf coming from GEA 6° Stormo at Ghedi.

MM7036 6-06 Tornado ECR MLU Itaf also coming from GEA 6° Stormo.

Greek F-16CG's tactical landing.

337 Mira  'Fanasma' Hellinic Air Force.

510 F-16CG 337 Mira named 'Fanasma' (Ghost) HAF, their home base being Larissa in Greece.

518 F-16CG 337 Mira HAF.

520 F-16CG 337 Mira HAF.

610 F-16DG 337 Mira HAF.

A330 MRTT from BA125 at Istres with two local receivers.

Three Mont de Marsan Rafales break for landing.

361 30-SJ Rafale B ECE01.030 AdlA. from Mont de Marsan.

165 30-VR Rafale C  'Côte d'Argent' BR128 Le Scarabée Blanc.

351 30-FR Rafale B EC02.30

162 5-VO Rafale C EC01.005 from BA115 at Orange.They supplied five Rafales to Volfa at Mont-de-Marsan.

5-VF Rafale C EC01.005 AdlA.

329 4-ID Rafale B EC02.004 SPA167 'Cigogne de Romanet' from Saint-Dizier.

328 4-IC EC01.004 SAL 28 'Éléphant' from St Dizier.

13 Rafale M 12F French Marine from Landivisiau airbase.

9 Rafale M 12F French Marine.

32 Rafale M from ETR03.004 at St Dizier.

Mirage 2000-5Fs returning to MdM.

54 2-EZ Mirage 2000-5F  EC01.002  SPA73  'Cigogne Japonaise'.

47 2-EZ Mirage 2000-5F AdlA from Luxeuil.

Mirage 200D's tactical break for landing.

606 3-JC Mirage2000D RMV EC03.003 from Nancy-Ochey.

637 3-XQ Mirage 2000D RMV EC003.003 AdlA.

626 3-IC Mirage 2000D EC02.003 AdlA.

615 3-JY Mirage 2000D RMV EC002.003 AdlA.

107 8-UD Alpha Jet.

F-ZKBZ NH-90-TTH (FS) allocated serial 1458/EBX Armée de Terre.

Arriving at MdM from Cazaux.

5393/VC AS555AN EH01.015 'Alphilles' from BA115 at Orange.

77/XD TBM-700A ET00.041 'Verdun' from BA107 Villacoublay.

0110/F-RBAR A-400  ET04.061 'Bearn' BA115 Orleans-Bricy

742 C-130H 356 MTM 'Iraklis' (Hercules) from Elefsis.

That's it from Mont de Marsan for now; it's Exercise Garuda 2025 shortly, featuring 6x Indian Air Force Sukhoi SU-30MKI. More on that later.

Happy Days indeed!

 

Polish Airforce Sukhoi SU-22M4 Fitters visit Reims Champagne flying local missions with the AdlA Mirage F1CRs Summer 2006

June 2006 marked the arrival of Polish Air Force Sukhoi Su-22M4 jets at Base Aérienne 112 Reims-Champagne, located approximately 130 kilometres Northeast of Paris, France. They were deployed for approximately three weeks and flew missions with the home-based Reconnaissance-based Dassault Mirage F1CRs from 1/33 Belfort Squadron and 2/33 Savoie. I cannot be certain of the Polish base from which they deployed, as four tactical air squadrons operated the type at the time. They were the 8 ELT (Squadron) from 12 BLOT (Air Base) at Miroslawiec, 40 ELT from 21 BLOT Swidnica Smardzko, and 6 ELT and 7 ELT operating from 33 BLOT at Powidz. 

The weather during their last week of deployment was glorious, although taking photographs in these beautiful conditions caused problems with heat haze. 

The last week of their deployment coincided with the 2nd of July air show at BA103, Cambrai Base Aérienne, located further north of Reims. A bonus during this final week at Reims was the deployment of Belgian Air Force F-16s and a couple of SIAI 260s transiting from or to BA709 Cognac-Chateauxbernard airbase in the Southwest of France.

All great memories from a super-base in its day, and even more poignant with this year's final withdrawal from service of this great aircraft from the Polish Air Force. They also looked different in their camouflage colours nineteen years ago; they finished their active service in a grey scheme in October 2025.

8309 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force.

This aircraft flew to the end of the type's operational service with the Polish Air Force in October 2025. 

8309 SU-22M-4 Visited the 2023 International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, not in this 2006 camouflage scheme.

8309 awaits clearance to runway 25.

8920 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force.

Status: It was withdrawn from service in 2014; its fate is unknown.

8920 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force, cleared to line up for its mission.

Arriving back at BA112 Reims Champagne.

642 33-NC Mirage F1CR.

Status: To the civil register as N629AY.

3817 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force, arriving back at Reims.

Status: Withdrawn from use in 2023; again, its fate is unknown.

642 33-NC Mirage F1CR lands after escorting 3817 back to Reims.

640 33-NV Mirage F1CR taking off at BA

8920 SU-22M-4 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force taxies from runway 07 at Reims Champagne.

8920 SU-22M-4 close up.

651 33-NB Mirage F1CR with the iconic landscape backdrop at BA112 Riems-Champagne.

606,616, and 662 line up on the last chance.

3817 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force.

3817 SU-22M-4.

610 33-CI   Mirage F1CR 1/33 Belfort 'Red Lion'

Status: 118-CI to an Instructional Airframe at Rochefort St Agnant.

Today, an MQ-9 Drone squadron.

653 33-CV Mirage F1CR 1/33 Belfort 'Petit Prince'

Status: Today, in the civil register, it shows N633AX.

The 'Petit Prince today operates Grob G120A-F aircraft at BA709 Cognac/Châteabernard.

647 33-NF  Mirage F1CR.

Status: Another one transferred to an instructional airframe at Base Aérienne 721 Rochefort as 118-CI.

640 33-NV  Mirage F1CR.

Status: Stored in the USA.

653 33-CZ  Mirage F1CR.

Status: registered with the US Civil register as N645AX.

FA133 and FB-12 Lockheed Martin/SABACA F-16s from Florennes 1 sqn 2 Wing Belgian Air Force.

FA-56 and FB-15 31 Sqn OCU 10 Wing BAF from Kliene Brogel.

ST-12 and ST19 SF-260MB 5 Sqn 1Wing BAF at Beauvechain.

518 30-SR Mirage F1B EC.01.030. BA132 Colmar/Meyenheim.

Status: Preserved at the Lyon Corbas Museum, coded 5-OM.

Great Memories.