A400M Atlas provides refuelling support for French QRA
March 20, 2025
An A400M Atlas from ET 4/61 ‘Béarn’ refuelled an alert Dassault Rafale during the historic mission.
As Escadre de Transport 1/64 ‘Béarn’ was a long-standing French Air Force transport unit equipped with C.160NG Transalls, stationed at the BA105 Évreux-Fauville until it was deactivated on 25 August 2017. The squadron reformed as the Air and Space Force’s
second Airbus A400M Atlas, ET4/61, following ET 1/61 ‘Touraine’ at BA123 Orléans-Bricy.
The QRA mission was only the latest milestone for ET4/61. On 4 March 2022, one of the Squadron’s crews flew several transport missions as part of Operation Barkhane , including the transport of a Eurocopter EC665 Tigre attack helicopter from Gao (Mali) to Niamey (Niger).
Though primarily used as a transport aircraft, the A400M has formidable tanker capabilities, carrying up to 51 tonnes of internal fuel, and fitted with a pair of underwing HDU pods underwing.
French air defences are controlled through the Commandement de la Défense Aérienne et des Opérations Aériennes (CDAOA; Air Defence and Air Operations Command) which is linked to NATO, including the alliance’s two Combined Air Operations Centres (CAOCs). The Uedem CAOC in Germany has an area of responsibility that spans the airspace of ten countries north of the Alps, while the CAOC at Torrejon in Spain looks after southern Europe.
