French Rafale fighters and tanker A-330MRT were transferred to the air base on the Poznań Krzesins to practice together with Polish F-16 aircraft. In the air, the machines were additionally supported by France's A-400M carriers. These activities were part of the ‘Pégase’25 mission.
31 Tactical Aviation Base on Poznań Krzesiny. Monday, morning hours. Polish F-16s began to emergence into the air 1 by one. shortly they were joined by multi-tasking Rafale fighters belonging to the French Air and Space Force. Finally, a powerful tanker A-330MRT moved out of place. This is how the second day of the Pégase ‘25’ mission began.
Production: Łukasz Zalesinski, Aleksander Kruk
The French organized the project. “Pégase ‘25’ is simply a fast movement of the component of the air force to selected European states,” explains Brig. Gen. Patrice Hugret, commander of the French contingent. “This year we first went to Sweden, where we practiced with airmen from this country and Finland for respective days. Now we are in Poland, and shortly we will go to Croatia – he adds. The mission's aim is to bring together 3 key issues. – Firstly, we want to strengthen our partnership with the Allied Air Force. Our troops work well together, but it is worth strengthening this cooperation and training together at all opportunity. Secondly, by being here, we intend to calm the people of Poland and another east flank states. Show them that, if necessary, we can rapidly decision our forces into a delicate area. Thirdly, by demonstrating our readiness, we intend to talk our strategical opponent from the east distant from taking actions that could endanger collective security, says Gen. Hugret.
The French transferred 4 Rafale fighters, 2 A-400M transport aircraft and a powerful tanker A-330MRT to Poland. Most machines are stationed on Poznań Krzesiny, but any besides appeared in Powidz. 12 Polish Hawks were seconded to practice with them. 10 of them are stationed regular in 31 BLT, 2 arriving from 32 BLT in Grace. The script that airmen carry out consists of 3 elements. Yesterday, we performed the alleged dissimilar training. It's an exercise involving two-to-one air combat. Our F-16 pair competed with Rafale – explains Colonel Łukasz Gradziński, commander of the Air Action Group in 31 BLT. Then came the time for an offensive mission. It was about combating ground targets. During these tasks, combat aircraft were supported by A-330 and A-400. The last chord was a defensive mission being carried out today. For more than an hour, F-16 pilots and Rafale fighters defended the pre-designated command post. They interacted with the tanker. In this episode, A-400 was on the other side. According to the script from their decks, peculiar troops of the opponent landed – explains Colonel Gradziński.
The presence of French aircraft in Poland falls into a broad political context. "At the minute we are at the phase of negotiating a fresh treaty on cooperation between our countries. It will strengthen our relationship. Today's event is simply a very strong signal that we are besides doing a lot about safety and defence issues together," emphasises Étienne de Pontins, French ambassador to Poland. At the same time, the diplomat states that France does not intend to replace the United States in Europe. “We want to bond with all our allies,” he says.
The soldiers themselves don't talk about politics. However, they agree about another benefits of the exercise. – Together we show the determination and strength of the Alliance in the air domain – noted Brig. Gen. Tomasz Jatczak, Head of the Board of Aviation Forces and Deputy Commander General of the types of armed forces. “Pégase ‘25’ is simply a large chance to verify tactics, techniques, procedures. In a word to gather our forces. We talk the same language. In Natowski, he adds. Colonel Gradziński speaks in a akin tone. We're building interoperability. And exercises like this let you see what we're strong at, and what we're a small weaker at. What needs to be improved in order to accomplish synergies, so that allied blocks fit perfectly together – he concludes.
