The 4
e Régiment d'Hélicoptères des Forces Spéciales () or 4
e RHFS is the special operations unit of the
French Army Light Aviation
The French Army Light Aviation ( (the army is officially called the 'Land Army' because the air force is officially called the 'Air Army')) is the Army aviation service of the French Army. ALAT was established on 22 November 1954 for observation ...
. It is part of the
French Army Special Forces Command, therefore of the
Special Operations Command. It is based in
Pau.
Created in 1997, the 4
e RHFS' mission is to transport and provide air support to the other special forces units anywhere in the world.
Organization
The regiment is divided into Special Forces Flights (Escadrilles des Operations Speciales):
* EOS 1 – Puma and Cougar
* EOS 2 – Gazelle
* EOS 3 – Caracals
* EOS 4/GIH – Pumas
* EOS 6 – Tigre
* EOS 7 – Support Flight
* EOS 8 – Helicopter Maintenance Flight
The regiment employs the following helicopters in 2016:
* 10
Eurcopter AS532 UL/AL Cougar
* 12
Aérospatiale Gazelle
The Aérospatiale Gazelle (company designations SA 340, SA 341 and SA 342) is a five-seat helicopter developed and initially produced by the French aircraft company Sud Aviation, and later by Aérospatiale. It is the first helicopter to feature ...
* 7
Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma
The Airbus Helicopters H215 (formerly Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma) is a four-bladed, twin-engined, medium-sized, utility helicopter developed and initially produced by French aerospace company Aérospatiale. It has been subsequently manufactur ...
and
Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma
The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter designed and originally produced by the French aerospace manufacturer Sud Aviation.
The Puma was developed as a new design during the mid-1960s in r ...
* 6
Eurocopter Tigre HAD
* ?
Eurocopter EC725 Caracal
See also
*
Italian 3rd Special Operations Helicopter Regiment
*
U.S. 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment - ''Night Stalkers''
*
Australian 171st Special Operations Aviation Squadron
*
British Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing
*
Canadian 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron
References
External links
official French Army page
Special forces of France
1997 establishments in France
Military units and formations established in 1997
Helicopter units and formations
Regiments of French Army Light Aviation
M134 Minigun
The M134 Minigun is an American 7.62×51mm NATO six-barrel rotary machine gun with a high rate of fire (2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute). It features a Gatling-style rotating barrel assembly with an external power source, normally an electric ...
- side mounted on Gazelle helicopters.
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