Sprucemoose

Alpha Jet side

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:22:55 GMT

Belgian air force Alpha Jet AT31, off on a training flight from Cazaux, France.

Belgian Alpha

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:19:15 GMT

Belgian air force Alpha Jet AT01, pictured at CEV Cazaux, France. Rocket pod for fun.

Hi Alpha

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:12:27 GMT

French air force Alpha Jet, at CEV Cazaux.

Falcon 20 FSO

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:05:55 GMT

The CEV's Falcon 20 fleet at Cazaux is supporting continued development of the Dassault Rafale. This one has a special nose fitted with the fighter's Thales front sector optronics sensors installed.

Franken-Mirage

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:01:28 GMT

Unique Mirage 2000 pictured at the CEV's Cazaux test centre. Aircraft 501 has a Rafale nose and is currently carrying the type's new Thales RBE2 AESA radar in testing.

Cazaux Mirage

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:56:17 GMT

French air force Mirage 2000-5 at the CEV flight test centre at Cazaux. Involved in flight test for the Rafale's new RBE2 AESA radar.

"VIP" CN-235

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:49:55 GMT

This French air force CN-235 from the 1/62 "Vercors" squadron ferried us around on a pre-Paris air show Rafale press tour. Luckily for us 165 was in the "VIP" airline-style seating configuration, so sleep was possible.

Vautour II

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:39:24 GMT

Sud Aviation Vautour IIN near the gate at Solenzara air base, Corsica. A bit special!

F1 on a stick

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:26:27 GMT

This Mirage F1 makes a striking feature at the CEV's Cazaux flight test centre in France.

Paris guardian

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:23:08 GMT

This Morane-Saulnier MS-760 Paris trainer is on show at the CEV's Cazaux flight test centre in France. Not sure what the chairs are for!

Recce mission

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:08:05 GMT

Rafale C 113-GA, the second Rafale in a two-ship reconaissance mission leaving Solenzara, Corsica for Libya on 27 May. The French air force type is using the all-digital Thales Areos/Reco NG pod.

Libya-bound

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:02:33 GMT

French air force Rafale C 113-GD takes off from Solenzara, Corsica for a reconnaissance mission over Libya. Pictured carrying Thales Areos/Reco NG pod and MBDA Mica air-to-air missiles. The transit to the North African coast takes about 2h.

Rafale slant

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:48:02 GMT

Ready to fly off to Libya, French air force Dassault Rafale at Solenzara air base, Corsica. This example is carrying GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs.

Rafaletown

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:42:45 GMT

French air force Dassault Rafales on the line at Solenzara air base, Corsica. A rotation of aircraft meant that the normally seven-strong detachment at "Rafaletown" was actually 10 when I visited in mid-May. They were busy on Libya operations.

Aged F1

Sprucemoose — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:37:16 GMT

Redundant French air force Mirage F1, on view at Solenzara air base, Corsica.