France Rehearses Large-Scale Redeployment of Rafale Fighter Jets in Case of Potential Attack

France carried out an exercise called “Topaz” to test how well its air units could survive a sudden enemy attack.

The French Air and Space Force reported that, under the exercise scenario, the 118th Air Base at Mont-de-Marsan was attacked, forcing commanders to quickly move key aircraft out of danger.

As part of the drill, the 30th Fighter Wing successfully launched and redeployed 20 Rafale multirole fighters within eight hours.

The aircraft were then spread across four different locations. This dispersal reduces the risk of losing all aircraft in a single strike and forces an enemy to divide its attack resources.

At the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the Ukrainian Air Force carried out a similar but far larger and much riskier operation to move its aircraft out of harm’s way.

When Russian cruise missiles struck parking areas and hardened aircraft shelters at air bases, they often hit only empty spots or non-operational aircraft.