Air International 2023-02
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B.Taghvaee - Rafales on the Eastern Front
An EC01.002 ‘Cigognes’ Mirage 2000-5. Working on behalf of the ‘friendly’ forces, the squadron employed four jets in the air superiority role during the exercise
The sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth deployments of the French Air and Space Force were part of enhanced Air Policing (eAP) and Baltic Air-Policing (BAP) missions that took place between 2016 and 2022. These always involved four Mirage 2000-5Fs of EC 1/2 Cigognes
Two of the Rafale Cs on deployment at Siauliai AB, 119/’30-IX’ and 141/’30-GT’ performed familiarisation flight training with two F-16C Block 50+CFs of the Polish Air Force on November 29, 2022. Their pilots led a two-ship formation of Rafale Cs during the CAP missions from Siauliai AB from December 1, 2022
Perhaps considered the most important Rafale C of the four on deployment at Lithuania, 141/30-GT has been the flagship of squadron EC 2/30 Normandie-Niemen. Here, its special paint scheme features a World War Two-era Soviet Yak-3
135/30-GN is one of the four Rafale Cs on deployment at Siauliai air base
One two aircraft involved in a familiarisation flight, 141/30-GT trained with two F-16C Block 50+CFs of the Polish Air Force on November 29, 2022. Its pilot led a two-ship formation of Rafale Cs during the first CAP mission from Siauliai AB on December 1, 2022
This Rafale C, 102 seen with a typical loadout of one MICA IR and one MICA EM for self-defence only during a transit flight. A similar missile loadout was seen on the four Rafale Cs of 30th Combat Wing during their deployment to Siauliai on November 25, 2022
In two sorties, this A400M 089/’F-RBAA’ airlifted hundreds of groundcrew and their equipment from BA118 Mont-de-Marsan to Siauliai AB on November 24 and 29, 2022
This French Air and Space Force Airbus A330-243 MRTT 041/’F-UJCG’ refuelled the Rafale Cs en route to Lithuania for their deployment on November 25, 2022