HISTORIC SYNTHESIS OF
the 36th Airborne Early Warning Squadron
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Updated : 17-09-2010
Picture : Capt SCHWARZ
* CREATION :
01 SEP 1989, AEW Unit = Unite de Detection Aeroportee UDA 02.920.
A CAFDA unit (Commandement Air des Forces de Defense Aerienne / Air Defense Command).
Disbanded on 28 FEB 1990 => EDA 00.036.
Commander : Col Marcel PRIGENT (pilot).
As of 01 MAR 1990, AEW Wing = Escadre de Detection Aeroportee EDA 00.036.
A CAFDA unit (Commandement Air des Forces de Defense Aerienne / Air Defense Command).
Disbanded on 31 JUL 1993 => EDCA 00.036.
1st commander : Col Marcel PRIGENT (pilot).
2nd commander : LtCol Jean-Pierre BAUCHET (controller, June 1992).
As of 01 AUG 1993, AEW squadron = Escadron de Detection et Controle Aeroportes EDCA 00.036.
(after the « wing » level was suppressed in the Air Force (1)).
A CAFDA unit (Commandement Air des Forces de Defense Aerienne / Air Defense Command).
A CASSIC unit (Commandement Air des Systemes de Surveillance, d’Information et de Communication / CIS Command) as of June 1994.
A CFA unit (Commandement des
Forces Aeriennes / Air Force Command) as of July 2007.
1st (2nd) commander : LtCol Jean-Pierre BAUCHET (controller).
2nd (3rd) commander : LtCol Yves-Marie MAIRE (controller, September 1994).
3rd (4th) commander : LtCol Bruno CHEVASSU (pilot, September 1996).
4th (5th) commander : LtCol Pascal CARTIGNY (controller, September 1998).
5th (6th) commander : LtCol André GARNIER (pilot, September 2000).
6th (7th) commander : LtCol Philippe AVEZOU (controller, September 2002).
7th (8th) commander : LtCol Guy ETIENNE-LECCIA (pilot, July 2004).
8th (9th) commander : LtCol Benoît GARCIA (controller, July 2006).
9th (10th) commander : LtCol Lionel ESTRAGUES (pilot, September 2008).
10th
(11th) commander : LtCol Thierry BON
(controller, September 2009).
11th (12th)
commander :
LtCol Vincent
DABADIE (pilot,
June 2010).
* LOCATION :
The 36th AEW Sqn is settled on Air Force Base
702 « Captain Georges Madon » located in AVORD, in
the middle of France, about 200 km south of Paris.
Picture : AFB 702
Picture : Mrs Françoise GUILE
* MISSIONS :
TO TRAIN All flying and embarked personnel (basic and advanced training / average time to become « full combat ready » : 2 ½ years).
TO FLY According to missions decided by :
- the French CAOC (combined air operations center) in France ;
- another NATO CAOC abroad or a deployed CAOC for overseas operations.
TO DETECT With both primary radar (radar echoes) and secondary radar (transponder)
and with the passive ESM (electronic support measures) system.
TO IDENTIFY With the secondary radar, the ESM and the radiocomms with aircraft and ground stations.
TO DISPLAY A clear tactical situation to the crew on the console screens.
TO TRANSMIT The displayed tactical situation :
- by radio to the aircraft under AWACS control (the « picture ») ;
- by tactical datalink networks (L11, IJMS, L16) to ground stations, ships, other aircraft and to command centers and HQs.
TO SURVEY Participation to the QRA (quick reaction alert) and the air defense alert ;
Participation to HVEs (high visibility events like G8 summit, international ceremonies or sport meetings…) ;
Participation to ASA missions (air surveillance areas), particularly at low altitude and threat assessment in areas not covered by ground-based radars.
TO CONTROL QRA aircraft for interception of any unknown/suspect or even hostile target (order from FR-CAOC) ;
SAR / CSAR assets (combat / search and rescue) ;
COMAO (combined air operations) assets for training or real operations :
- offensive assets (fighters, bombers, helos, recce aircraft, jamming aircraft…) ;
- defensive assets (fighters, contact with surface-to-air missiles systems…) ;
- support assets (transport aircraft, air-to-air refuelling aircraft…).
TO DEPLOY Wherever the squadron is needed in a combined or joint environment/operation.
*
AIRCRAFT :
Four E-3F SDCA (Systeme de Detection et de Commandement Aeroporte) designed from the airframe of a BOEING 707-320B and powered by four 24,000 lbs – thrust CFM-56 engines. Delivered to the French Air Force in 1990 and 1991.
Picture : Mrs Françoise GUILE
* ORGANISATION :
The 36th AEW Sqn :
- belongs to the Airspace Control Brigade, Air Force Command (CFA in French), based in METZ ;
- works for the Air Defense and Air Operations Command (CDAOA in French) based in TAVERNY,
- or for a Deployed Combined Air Operations Center (DCAOC) in case of a multinational engagement on an operation theater.
Since the personnel consists of a wide variety of specialties, when the squadron leader is a pilot then the deputy commander is a controller and vice-versa. This rule also applies to the flight commanders. Nowadays, the squadron consists of a commanding staff, an operations office and four flights :
-
the operations office (planning, analysis and synthesis of air activity) ;
-
the Airborne Early Warning Flight : AEW Flight 01.036 (crew training and AWACS missions) ;
-
the Airborne Early Warning Flight : AEW Flight 02.036 (crew training and AWACS missions) ;
-
the Operational Conversion and Mission Support Flight : OCMS Flight 10.036 (crew evaluation and standardization, mission support, computer support and AWACS missions) ;
-
the Operational Evaluation and Test Flight : OET Flight 13.036 (technical and operational expertise, test and validation of aircraft and systems upgrades and AWACS missions).
Whatever the flight it belongs to, any flying or embarked personnel participates to real and training AWACS missions whether they take place in France or abroad.
* PERSONNEL :
210 people in 20 different specialties :
* Flying personnel :
- 18 pilots ;
- 7 navigators ;
- 9 flight engineers.
* Embarked personnel :
- 47 controllers (30 officers and 17 NCOs) ;
- 40 surveillance operators ;
- 15 passive detection operators ;
- 24 airborne technicians.
* Ground personnel, military and civilian :
- intelligence officers ;
- computer specialists ;
-administrative staff.
Picture : AFB 702
* OPERATIONS ET EXERCISES :
More than 500 war missions in the Balkans from 1992 to 1999, including :
-
61 missions for Sharp Vigilance, Sharp Fence, Sharp Guard and Sky Monitor (1992-1993, monitoring of the embargo over former Yougoslavia) ;
-
2 missions for Balbuzard (1993, support to the French elements of the UNPROFOR in former Yougoslavia) ;
-
381 missions for Deny Flight (1993-1995, enforcement of the no-fly zone in Bosnia-Herzegovina, support to UN troops and COMAOs) ;
-
6 missions for Delibarate Force (1995, Bosnia operations) ;
-
58 missions for Allied Force (1999, Kosovo operations).
Participation to anti-drug and anti-piracy operations in conjunction with French and/or international Navy, Customs and Coast Guards assets.
Participation to police operations in conjunction with assets from the Ministry of the Interior.
Participation to high visibility events (NATO summit, sport meetings, Le Bourget Air Show, July 14th National Day...).
Participation to national and multinational exercises and deployments (TLP, Bold Avenger, Pitchblack, Red Flag, Mapple Flag, Garuda, Spring Flag, Elite…).
Participation to SAR missions, including the research of victims and wreckage of AF447 lost on its way from Rio to Paris in June 2009.
* TRADITIONS INHERITED FROM WORLD WAR I FLIGHTS :
COMBATIVENESS (2)
SAL 58 « Rooster » (March 1918) painted on each side of the fin on AWACS nr 201/36-CA.
The cock may also be seen on the badges of the 36th AEW Sqn and the Flight 1/36.
AWARENESS (2)
BR 43 « Vulture » (May 1918) painted on each side of the fin on AWACS nr 202/36-CB.
The vulture may also be seen on the badges of the 36th AEW Sqn and the Flight 1/36.
LOYALTY (2)
SAL 253 « Mastiff » (June 1918) painted on each side of the fin on AWACS nr 203/36-CC.
The mastiff may also be seen on the badges of the 36th AEW Sqn and the Flight 2/36.
FORCE (2)
BR 257 « Mallet » (July 1918) painted on each side of the fin on AWACS nr 204/36-CD.
The mallet may also be seen on the badges of the 36th AEW Sqn and the Flight 2/36.
Badge
Ref. A-1218
This is the former badge of the 36th Reconnaissance Wing created in January 1938 with traditions inherited from four World War I flights (see above).
-
WWI Flights SAL 58 and BR 43, Reconnaissance Group I/36,
-
WWI Flights SAL 253 and BR 257, Reconnaissance Group II/36.
So in 1938, the emblems of these four WWI flights were gathered for the first time on a single badge created for the 36th RW. 70 years later, this badge was still in service with the 36th AEW Sqn and this was celebrated with a patch and a special painting on nr 201/36-CA.
Picture : Capt SCHWARZ
The badge was awarded to the 36th AEW Wing in September 1990 (reminder : the 36th AEW was a wing till 1993).
Numbered copies (for commanding staff, operations, intelligence and admin personnel only) :
-
2000 series as of September 2005 / from 2000 to 2XXX.
History of the number 36 in French Air Force units (French only, English version to come) : HERE
History of the flights (zoom in to read - French only, English version to come) : HERE
Motto
None.
Name
« BERRY »
Previously allocated to former Squadron 01.036 in 1991 then associated to the 36th AEW Sqn as of July 2000.
History of name "Berry" in French Air Force units (French only, English version to come) : HERE
Pennant
Ref. A-451
Created in 2000 with the rectangular standard shape for French Air Force squadrons.
Flag
36th Wing
Original flag created in 1934 for the 36th Air Wing which later became the 36th Reconnaissance Wing in 1938 before being disbanded in the 40's.
Medal recipient of the WAR CROSS 1939-1940 as of June 1942.
This flag was given in 1990 to Col PRIGENT, the 1st commander of the 36th AEW Wing by LtGen NORLAIN, commander, Air Defense Command. By this, the 36th AEW Wing inherited the traditions of the 36th RW, which the 36th AEW Squadron is the holder today.
June 2000, Operation Allied Force Award from SACEUR commander (for Kosovo Operations in 1999).
History of the flag : click HERE.
Twinning
Destroyer
« FORBIN »
The 36th AEW Sqn has established a special relationship with Destroyer D620 « FORBIN » because her missions and equipment are very close to those of the E-3F.
A twinning was discussed while both commanders were flying on-board an E-3F in January 2006.
Then the idea grew up and the charter of twinning was signed on November 23rd, 2006 by :
- LtCol Benoît GARCIA, commander, 36th AEW Sqn " BERRY " and
- Capitain Christophe BALDUCCHI, commander, Destroyer D620 " FORBIN ".
The D620 " FORBIN " was the first "Horizon class" destroyer to enter service by the end of 2006 and she has the capacity to operate in conjunction with AEW aircraft. Her weapons systems include many elements the E-3F has too, such as tactical datalinks L11 and L16, secure communications with Have Quick/SATURN capacity and electronic support measures… no doubt that a close cooperation between both systems will be quite useful in the future.
Picture : French Navy
REMARKS :
(1) After the « wing » level was suppressed in the French Air Force in 1993, the squadrons that were under the operational control of wings fell under the responsibility of their major commands except those of the 36th Wing. Since there are only 4 aircraft, it was decided not to share the commanding responsibility of this wing. The decision was to change the status of the 36 from a « wing » level to a « squadron » level. So the 36th AEW Wing became the 36th AEW Squadron and as a matter of fact, the squadrons 01.036, 02.036 and 10.036 became flights.
Historically, in the FAF the badge of a squadron is made of the emblems of its flights.
- in 1990, the badge of SQUADRONS 1/36 and 2/36 were made of the emblems of two WWI FLIGHTS, which is the normal design :
=> SAL58 + BR43 for Sqn 1/36
=> SAL253 + BR257 for Sqn 2/36.
- since 1993, the badges are still the same but they represent flights now. So we have an unsual and unique situation with the badges of FLIGHTS made of the emblems of 2 other FLIGHTS. [BACK]
(2) Those characteritics allocated to each WWI flight were found in a presentation briefing of the 36th AEW Sqn made in 1997 (it was probably an initiative of the officer commanding the squadron at that time : LtCol Bruno CHEVASSU). [BACK]
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