List of military aircraft of France
France has used many military aircraft both in the French Air and Space Force, and other branches of its armed forces. Multiple aircraft were designed and built in France, but many aircraft from elsewhere, or part of joint ventures have been used as well. Lighter-than-air aircraft such as dirigibles and balloons found use starting in the 19th century used mainly for observation. The advent of World War I saw an explosion in the number France's aircraft, though development slowed after. While having many promising designs in development in the 1930s, government wrangling delayed development enough there was little available at the out break of World War II. The armistice in 1940 marked a low point, with Vichy France being allowed only reduced numbers and development halting. Many French aircraft were captured and used by Nazi Germany and its allies. Some aircraft that did escape served with the Allies or Free French forces, who also used many other types of allied aircraft. The cold-war saw the continued use of many other Western aircraft, mainly from the U.S., during a period of rebuilding of the aviation industry and under threat of war with the Soviet Union. Many new types would come into service including the very successful Mirage series or the latest design, the Rafale.
To the end of World War I
- Blériot XI
- Breguet 4
- Breguet 5
- Breguet 12
- Breguet 14
- Caudron G.III
- Caudron G.IV
- Caudron G.VI
- Caudron R.IV
- Caudron R.XI
- Caudron R.XIV
- Dorand AR-series
- Hanriot HD.1
- Hanriot HD.3
- Farman MF.7
- Farman MF.11
- Farman HF.20
- Farman F.40
- Farman F.50
- Letord Let.1
- Letord Let.7
- Letord Let.9
- Morane-Saulnier H
- Morane-Saulnier L
- Morane-Saulnier LA
- Morane-Saulnier N
- Morane-Saulnier P
- Morane-Saulnier T
- Morane-Saulnier AC
- Morane-Saulnier AI
- Nieuport VI
- Nieuport 10
- Nieuport 11
- Nieuport 12
- Nieuport 14
- Nieuport 16
- Nieuport 17
- Nieuport 21
- Nieuport 23
- Nieuport 24
- Nieuport 24bis
- Nieuport 25
- Nieuport 27
- Nieuport 28
- REP Type N
- Salmson-Moineau S.M.1
- Salmson 2
- Salmson 4
- Sopwith 1½ Strutter
- SPAD S.A.2
- SPAD VII
- SPAD XI
- SPAD XII
- SPAD XIII
- SPAD XVI
- Voisin I
- Voisin III
- Voisin IV
- Voisin V
- Voisin VII
- Voisin VIII
- Voisin X
Rest of the 20th century
21st century
Aircraft either introduced after 2000 or in service as of 2000.
Fixed-wing
Propeller
- Bréguet 1050 Alizé
- Bréguet 1150 Atlantic
- CASA C-212 Aviocar
- CASA/IPTN CN-235
- Cessna 310
- Cessna 411
- Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II
- Cirrus SR20
- Embraer EMB 121 Xingu
- Embraer EMB 312 Tucano (withdrawn 2009)
- Grob G 120
- Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye
- Lockheed C-130 Hercules
- Mudry CAP 10
- Pilatus PC-7
- Pilatus PC-21 (2017)[1]
- SOCATA TBM
- Socata TB 30 Epsilon
- Transall C-160
Jet
Helicopters
Gallery of the progression of French fighters
-
SPAD S.XIII the main French fighter in late World War I.
-
D510 variant of Dewoitine D.500 the main French interwar fighter.
-
Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 main French fighter during the Battle of France.
-
-
Swiss variant of Dassault Mirage III the main French fighter during the Cold War.
-
Dassault Rafale current French fighter as of 2023.
Gallery of the progression of French naval fighters
-
Lévy-Biche LB.2 an interwar naval fighter that was based on Béarn the first French aircraft carrier that came into service in the 1920s.
-
Dassault Étendard IV main French naval fighter of the Cold War.
-
Dassault Rafale M a variant of the Dassault Rafale for use on aircraft carriers. It is currently as of 2023 the only French naval fighter.
References
- ^ "Pilatus Sells 21 PC-21s, Including 17 for the French Air Force". Pilatus Aircraft. 4 January 2017. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.