Exercise Green Shield 2014 - RSAF F-15 Eagles in France

On 3 April 2014, six F-15C/D Eagles of the Royal Saudi Air Force’s 2 Squadron / 7 Wing at King Faisal Air Base, Tabuk, supported by two A330 MRTT tankers and four C-130 transports, deployed to Base Aérienne 133 Nancy-Ochey in France for the Green Shield 2014 exercise.

Since the first edition of the exercise held in 2007, the French-Saudi exercise now takes place every two years, and forms part of a framework for cooperation between the French Air Force (Armée de l’Air – AdlA) and the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF).

The 2014 edition of Green Shield focused on the air-to-air scenario. The first week of the exercise was for familiarization and Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) with Mirage 2000 and Rafale fighters, which flew from BA113 St. Dizier. The second week started with a Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) exercise, involving E-3F AWACS and two EC 725 R2 Caracal CSAR helicopters. On each flying day two missions were flown, usually consisting of four F-15, four Mirage 2000-5F, four Mirage 2000D and at least two Rafale B/C fighters. The exercise ended on April 16th.

The six Eagles deployed for the exercise have a long service history. Two F-15s, tail number 203 (80-0095) and 205 (80-0073) were delivered to the RSAF from the production line at St. Louis under the Peace Sun foreign military sales program. The other four belonged to a batch of 24 Eagles that had been transferred to Saudi Arabia from USAFE inventory in October 1990 to boost RSAF F-15 numbers for combat air patrols during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. F-15C 208 (79-0017) and F-15D 233 (79-0004) seen here came from the 32nd TFS, Soesterberg AB. The other two Eagles, F-15C 214 (79-0043) and F-15D 232 (79-0006), came from the 525th TFS of the 36st TFW, Bitburg AB.

The Green Shield Exercise Staff, and the Public Affairs Service of the French Air Force organized a spotter day on April the 14th, giving aircraft enthusiasts the opportunity to see and photograph the combat aircraft that were taking part in Green Shield 2014. The organization was perfect.

Thanks to all the BA 133 PAO Staff for their support, and to the Service d’Information et de Relations Publiques de l’AdlA.