Unit Name: | Flotille 4F |
Dates: | 1918–1926 1930–1943 1944–1997 2000–present |
Country: | France |
Allegiance: | French navy |
Branch: | French Naval Aviation |
Type: | Naval aviation |
Role: | Airborne Early Warning |
Size: | 90+ |
Garrison: | Base Aéronavale Lann Bihoué |
Nickname: | The four (La quatre) |
Colors: | Orange |
Equipment: | Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye |
Battles: | World War II First Indochina War Lebanese Civil War Bosnian War War in Afghanistan (2001–present) Opération Harmattan |
Decorations: | Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures Cross for Military Valour |
Identification Symbol Label: | A white bird, black torquise, light blue sky and dark blue sea |
Identification Symbol 2 Label: | Squadron code |
Flotille 4F (abbreviated to 4F) is a French Aeronavale aircraft squadron based at Base Aéronavale de Lann Bihoué and equipped with three Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye aircraft, these aircraft are operated from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.
The squadron was formed in July 1944 to operate the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bomber, it converted to the Grumman TBM-3E Avenger in October 1953. In 1959 the squadron re-equipped with the Breguet Alizé carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft, the squadron operated these aircraft until 1997.
Flotille 4F was re-formed on 10 March 2000 to operate three Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye carried-based airborne early warning aircraft.