Reactivation of EC01.005 Vendée
After a period of seventeen years of inactivity, EC01.005 of the Armee de l’Air et de l’Espace (AdlAE, French Air and Space Force) was reactivated on 18 July 2024. EC01.005 ‘Vendée’ is the first Escadron of the fifth Escadre which has found a home at Base Aérienne Orange-Caritat (BA115).
In the past 23 months the base has been reconstructed and additional housings have been built to accommodate EC01.005, a new engine workshop and a simulator building. These infrastructural innovations have become necessary as, in the future BA115 will also become the new homebase for EC02.005 ‘Ile de France’.
Some thousand people, both military and civilian dignitaries were present during the reactivation ceremony of EC01.005. During the celebration, a formation of four Rafales came to greet and overflew the base.
The first two Rafales for EC01.005, 150 5-VC, in special reactivation colours and 153 5-VF arrived under callsign ‘Charcot’. Another ten Rafales will have arrived by the end of August. It is expected that the inventory of the squadron will be completed with an additional eight Rafales before the end of 2025.
Once operational, EC01.005 will provide surveillance and policing activities over the south-east of France. On the longer term Escadre 5 will be equipped with a second squadron of Rafales, but the formation of an EC02.005 is not expected before 2030.
Photos: Romain Boghossian and (small photo) Armee de l’Air et de l’Espace