France Reignites Cold War Era Drills with a Massive Mirage 2000 Fighter Jet Deployment
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On April 22, 2025, Air Base 133 in Nancy-Ochey became the scene of a military operation of exceptional scale. Known as “JADE,” short for Jaillissement D’Escadre (“Squadron Surge”), the unannounced exercise led to the immediate dispersal of all Mirage 2000D and Mirage 2000B aircraft from the French Air and Space Force’s 3rd Fighter Wing to five other bases across the country: Salon-de-Provence, Luxeuil, Avord, Rochefort, and Orléans. The operation, involving the simultaneous mobilization of flight crews, logistics chains, and technical support elements, aimed to simulate a scenario of direct threat or the sudden unavailability of the home base.
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The 3rd Fighter Wing at Nancy-Ochey operates 60 Mirage 2000D jets—55 under mid-life upgrade—and 7 Mirage 2000B trainers. (Picture source: French MoD)
Designed as a realistic crisis scenario, Exercise JADE served to evaluate key operational capabilities including personnel responsiveness, rapid aircraft deployment, and the organizational resilience of a fighter wing when geographically dispersed. Within hours, aircraft were redeployed, maintenance teams were projected forward, and receiving bases were restructured to ensure operational continuity. According to Air Base 133, the exercise demonstrated “the ability of the French Air and Space Force to adapt swiftly to changes in the strategic context, ensuring mission continuity even under conditions of dispersion or crisis.”
The 3rd Fighter Wing, stationed at Nancy-Ochey, operates a fleet of Mirage 2000D and Mirage 2000B aircraft. The fleet currently includes 60 Mirage 2000D jets, 55 of which are undergoing a mid-life upgrade (RMV), along with 7 dual-seat Mirage 2000B aircraft used primarily for training. Together, these platforms constitute the core of the wing’s ground attack and close air support capabilities, supporting both homeland operations and overseas deployments.
The Mirage 2000D, a two-seat strike aircraft introduced in 1993, is optimized for air-to-ground missions. Equipped with a terrain-following system, it can conduct low-altitude, high-speed precision strikes under all weather conditions, day or night. Ongoing upgrades have expanded its capabilities, including enhancements for close air support (CAS), improved tactical data links (Link 16), SCARABEE mission management interface, and ROVER video/radio transmission with ground forces. It also features a broad arsenal of guided munitions such as the GBU-48, GBU-49, and GBU-50. Its versatility is further supported by the ASTAC electronic intelligence pod and laser designation pods like ATLIS, PDL-CTS, and Damocles. The modernization program also includes replacing Magic II air-to-air missiles with MICA IR and integrating a cannon mounted in an external pod, ensuring the platform remains operationally viable through at least 2030.
The Mirage 2000B, a twin-seat version of the Mirage 2000C, is dedicated to pilot training. With fixed intake cones limiting its top speed to Mach 1.4 and no radar or weapons systems, it is used for basic and tactical flight instruction. Despite its limited number, this aircraft remains a key component of pilot training, ensuring a smooth transition to operational platforms such as the Mirage 2000D or Rafale.
Within hours, aircraft were redeployed, maintenance teams were projected forward, and receiving bases were restructured to ensure operational continuity. (Picture source: French MoD)
Together, the Mirage 2000D and 2000B meet a wide range of operational needs, from deep strike and close air support to intelligence gathering and pilot training. The Mirage 2000D, in particular, has taken part in nearly every major French overseas deployment since its introduction—from the former Yugoslavia and Afghanistan to the Sahel and the Levant—demonstrating its sustained operational relevance.
Exercise JADE reflects a renewed focus on readiness and alert posture across the French Air and Space Force. It also marks a deliberate return to Cold War-era tactics of rapid dispersion and redeployment. During that period, the French Air Force regularly rehearsed mass squadron withdrawals to southwestern France, with so-called “survival takeoffs” executed every thirty seconds without radio communication. These drills largely disappeared after the 1990s but are regaining relevance in the current security environment marked by heightened geopolitical tension.
By reintroducing such procedures, the French Air and Space Force is adapting to contemporary national security demands. Rapid mobility, geographic dispersal, and the ability to operate from multiple locations have become essential in the face of hybrid threats, potential airspace saturation, and the vulnerability of strategic infrastructure. Through this exercise, the 3rd Fighter Wing demonstrates the role of strategic agility within the French air defense doctrine.
In conclusion, Exercise JADE sends a clear signal to both partners and potential adversaries. It underscores that the strength of France’s air power lies not only in its equipment but also in its ability to redeploy, adapt, and remain operational under urgent and dispersed conditions. Through this operation, the 3rd Fighter Wing of Nancy-Ochey reaffirms its central role in national defense by demonstrating its ability to anticipate, adjust, and continue operating under any circumstances.
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On April 22, 2025, Air Base 133 in Nancy-Ochey became the scene of a military operation of exceptional scale. Known as “JADE,” short for Jaillissement D’Escadre (“Squadron Surge”), the unannounced exercise led to the immediate dispersal of all Mirage 2000D and Mirage 2000B aircraft from the French Air and Space Force’s 3rd Fighter Wing to five other bases across the country: Salon-de-Provence, Luxeuil, Avord, Rochefort, and Orléans. The operation, involving the simultaneous mobilization of flight crews, logistics chains, and technical support elements, aimed to simulate a scenario of direct threat or the sudden unavailability of the home base.
The 3rd Fighter Wing at Nancy-Ochey operates 60 Mirage 2000D jets—55 under mid-life upgrade—and 7 Mirage 2000B trainers. (Picture source: French MoD)
Designed as a realistic crisis scenario, Exercise JADE served to evaluate key operational capabilities including personnel responsiveness, rapid aircraft deployment, and the organizational resilience of a fighter wing when geographically dispersed. Within hours, aircraft were redeployed, maintenance teams were projected forward, and receiving bases were restructured to ensure operational continuity. According to Air Base 133, the exercise demonstrated “the ability of the French Air and Space Force to adapt swiftly to changes in the strategic context, ensuring mission continuity even under conditions of dispersion or crisis.”
The 3rd Fighter Wing, stationed at Nancy-Ochey, operates a fleet of Mirage 2000D and Mirage 2000B aircraft. The fleet currently includes 60 Mirage 2000D jets, 55 of which are undergoing a mid-life upgrade (RMV), along with 7 dual-seat Mirage 2000B aircraft used primarily for training. Together, these platforms constitute the core of the wing’s ground attack and close air support capabilities, supporting both homeland operations and overseas deployments.
The Mirage 2000D, a two-seat strike aircraft introduced in 1993, is optimized for air-to-ground missions. Equipped with a terrain-following system, it can conduct low-altitude, high-speed precision strikes under all weather conditions, day or night. Ongoing upgrades have expanded its capabilities, including enhancements for close air support (CAS), improved tactical data links (Link 16), SCARABEE mission management interface, and ROVER video/radio transmission with ground forces. It also features a broad arsenal of guided munitions such as the GBU-48, GBU-49, and GBU-50. Its versatility is further supported by the ASTAC electronic intelligence pod and laser designation pods like ATLIS, PDL-CTS, and Damocles. The modernization program also includes replacing Magic II air-to-air missiles with MICA IR and integrating a cannon mounted in an external pod, ensuring the platform remains operationally viable through at least 2030.
The Mirage 2000B, a twin-seat version of the Mirage 2000C, is dedicated to pilot training. With fixed intake cones limiting its top speed to Mach 1.4 and no radar or weapons systems, it is used for basic and tactical flight instruction. Despite its limited number, this aircraft remains a key component of pilot training, ensuring a smooth transition to operational platforms such as the Mirage 2000D or Rafale.
Within hours, aircraft were redeployed, maintenance teams were projected forward, and receiving bases were restructured to ensure operational continuity. (Picture source: French MoD)
Together, the Mirage 2000D and 2000B meet a wide range of operational needs, from deep strike and close air support to intelligence gathering and pilot training. The Mirage 2000D, in particular, has taken part in nearly every major French overseas deployment since its introduction—from the former Yugoslavia and Afghanistan to the Sahel and the Levant—demonstrating its sustained operational relevance.
Exercise JADE reflects a renewed focus on readiness and alert posture across the French Air and Space Force. It also marks a deliberate return to Cold War-era tactics of rapid dispersion and redeployment. During that period, the French Air Force regularly rehearsed mass squadron withdrawals to southwestern France, with so-called “survival takeoffs” executed every thirty seconds without radio communication. These drills largely disappeared after the 1990s but are regaining relevance in the current security environment marked by heightened geopolitical tension.
By reintroducing such procedures, the French Air and Space Force is adapting to contemporary national security demands. Rapid mobility, geographic dispersal, and the ability to operate from multiple locations have become essential in the face of hybrid threats, potential airspace saturation, and the vulnerability of strategic infrastructure. Through this exercise, the 3rd Fighter Wing demonstrates the role of strategic agility within the French air defense doctrine.
In conclusion, Exercise JADE sends a clear signal to both partners and potential adversaries. It underscores that the strength of France’s air power lies not only in its equipment but also in its ability to redeploy, adapt, and remain operational under urgent and dispersed conditions. Through this operation, the 3rd Fighter Wing of Nancy-Ochey reaffirms its central role in national defense by demonstrating its ability to anticipate, adjust, and continue operating under any circumstances.
