French air defence specialists

摘要

One aircraft, one missile, one mission.' During this era of multi-role warplanes, the Armee de I'Air's (French Air Force's) Groupe de Chasse (GC) 1/2 'Cigognes' ('Storks') is something of an anomaly in the NATO fighter community. Even within the French Air Force, the unit's name differentiates it from other units - this is proudly a 'fighter group' rather than the normal escadron (squadron). And the 'Cigognes' pilots are proud to fly the Mirage 2000-5F, using it exclusively in the air defence role. Over the past 15 years the Armee de I'Air has faced its fair share of base closures and squadron disbandments. But due to their prestigious history, certain escadrons and escadrilles (flights) have been preserved. Probably the best-known squadron among the fighter community - and maybe across the whole air force - GC 1/2 has traditionally flown the most modern fighters in the French inventory. In 1961, for example, the unit was the first to fly the Mach-2-capable Mirage IIIC, emerging as the 'highspeed, high-level' interceptor specialists.