Armée de l'Air
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The Armée de l'Air is the airforce of Kanjor. It operates a variety of aircraft in defense and support roles, as well as providing support aircraft to the Armée de Terre, Service de Sécurité de Kanjor and for formal uses such as providing air transport to the President. All of its aircraft are home-built, either of native design, or from modified foreign designs.
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[edit] Aircraft
There are four primary aircraft used by the airforce, two fixed wing fighters, and two helicopters.
The airforce also operates an AWACS aircraft, a number of transport and refuelling aircraft and various light planes used mainly in a communications role.
[edit] Météore (Meteor)
The AdH Météore II previously was the primary fighter aircraft, but is gradually being phased out. It is still popular with pilots for its ease of flight and safe airframe. It is also very damage-resistant and sturdy, but its ageing airframe and avionics have rendered it outdated for modern combat role. It has a range slightly above that of its replacement, the Chimère V, and the Météore is still used for ocean patrols.
There are currently 4 squadrons of Météore II, two each in Silliers and La Tondelle. The squadrons mainly operate ocean patrols and rapid-response search-and-rescue missions.
An avionics update will be provided in 2360 to extend the life of the Météores. The upgraded aircraft will be designated the Météore IIa.
It is produced by the defence company Arsenal de Helion.
[edit] Chimère (Chimera)
The primary fighter aircraft of the Kanjoran airforce is the KAS Chimera V, there are currently 18 squadrons of these versatile multi-role fighters in service, spread around the country.
The Chimère V comes from a completely Kanjoran design and building project, and was kept secret for many years. It is finely tuned to Kanjor's defence needs and its geography. It can take off and land on many highways and urban roads in Kanjor, given its short-takeoff-and-landing design. This gives it an extra defensive bonus, as it can in times of war be easily transported by road to new locations. Its small size gives it superb manoeuvrability, yet it is large enough to carry a formidable range of ordinance.
Its primary disadvantage is its speed, pilots have commented it has neither the speed nor the grace of the Météore, but the Chimère makes up for it in versatility and manoeuvrability. It has since earned the nickname "Buzzy Bee".
[edit] Faucon (Falcon)
Kanjor Aérospatiale developed the KAS Faucon as a military strike helicopter, in the early 2320s, but the aircraft did not reach production for several decades.
The Faucon is a medium-weight air-to-air combat and fire support helicopter, fitted with a chin-mounted 30 mm gun turret and 68 mm unguided rockets for the fire support role as well as air-to-air missiles. Countermeasures include radar/laser/missile launch/missile approach warning receivers and decoy launchers.
There are four squadrons in service with the Armée de L'Air, and two more squadrons attached to Armée de Terre units.
[edit] Oie (Goose)
The KAS Oie is the Armée de L'Air's transport helicopter, and performs all light transportation needs for the Armée de L'Air. It is a twin-engined, medium-weight, multipurpose craft, that can be fitted with a variety of weapons, including pod-mounted 20 mm cannons, 68 mm rocket-launchers and side-mounted machine-guns.
The Armee de L'Air has 6 squadrons, and also provides the Service de Sécurité de Kanjor with five helicopters, in black or SSK markings. It also provides five squadrons for the Armée de Terre.
It should be noted that Goose is the aircraft's designation, not a nickname.
[edit] Organisation
The airforce is divided into four levels.
[edit] Central Command
Central Command is primarily centered around the Sièges Sociaux Généraux des Forces de la Défense de Kanjor (General Headquarters of the Defense Forces of Kanjor) (SSG) which is responsible for managing all the defence forces of Kanjor. The airforce branch (SSG-AA) is the day-to-day Central Command for the airforce. In the expanded sense, Central Command includes the President, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Defence, and any War Government, though these are rarely active outside of time of national crisis.
[edit] Provincial Commands
Each province maintains a command unit, which oversees the ordinary activities of the province's forces. In the event that SSG-AA cannot be reached, the provincial commands are to link up and provide an alternative command structure.
[edit] Airbases
The air base is the essential combat tool of the airforce, whose operational activity never ceases. The airbases are the home of the squadrons, and currently there are seven throughout the country; two in each of the provinces, except La Tondelle, which are supervised and maintained by staff, centres of operations, warehouses, workshops, and schools.
The commander of an air base has authority over all units stationed on the base. He supervises their conditioning and the execution of orders.
The bases are organized for flexibility and rapid response.
[edit] Escadrons (Squadrons)
Each comprises twelve aircraft divided into three flights of four, pilots and support crew spread out over the airbases.
