Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/390970
the decision to deploy French aircraft was taken after the Ukrainian crisis started. The choice of the 22nd tAFB was a result of other airbases being already saturated (e.g. with US F-16C/D Fighting Falcons stationed at Łask), but also because this base is closest to the Baltic States. Since 1 May, Poland has again (for the fifth time) sent a contingent of four MiG-29s to take part in the NATO Baltic Air Policing. In exchange, their role was taken over by four Rafales, all of single-seated C variant, of the two Armée de l'Air squadrons: the ec-1/7 'provence' of saint-dizier and ec-2/30 'normandie-niémen' of mont-de-marsan. What's interesting, the unit insignia has been painted over on both as a part of the pre-deployment preparations. Before the fighters flew in, on three flights by Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules and a passenger Airbus A310, arrived technical personnel and equipment. The French have taken over two light hangers. The aircraft came fully armed and combat-ready, their armament including the MBDA MICA air-to-air missiles in both variations. The French contingent was welcomed on 29 April at the same time when the Orlik V mission (Polish contingent in BAP) departed. The ceremony was a high-profile one, with polish president Bronisław Komorowski and Ministers of Defense from Poland and France in attendance. Francuskie samoloty codziennie wykonywały loty w przestrzeni powietrznej Polski, współpracując z innymi elementami krajowego systemu obrony French contingent flew everyday missions, training co-operation with the Polish aerial defense system components. The most modern Armée de l'Air fighters have concluded their mission in Poland on 2 June, when there was a rotation and the Rafales were replaced by four mirage 2000s, two 2000cs (single-seated air dominance fighters with a very limited ground fighting capabilities) of the 10/950 squadron of Orange AFB and two 2000-5s multirole jets (38 of which originated by modification of the 2000C fighters), of the 4/950 Servance at Luxeuil. For over a month sighting of a Rafale side-by-side with a MiG-29 was nothing unusual near the 22nd Tactical AFB in Królewo Malborskie. Contrary to the other Allies (e.g. Americans) the French arrived mission-ready with their operational MBDA MICA air-to-air missiles. www.fragoutmag.com