Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Base de Luxeuil / Saint-Sauveur
BA116 Base Aérienne 116

On 18 April 1916, the "American Escadrille " was constituted at Luxeuil. A handful of young American volunteers, ardently attached to France and its eternal values, thus offered the sacrifice of their life to the glory of the Escadrille N124 "Indian Head". This Escadrille was called the La Fayette Escadrille and took a legendary place in the history of the First World War.

The 50 Mirage IV-A ordered in March 1959 were all finally delivered between 1964 and 1966. They were dispersed on nine air bases, organized into three mixed squadrons of bombardment, composed each of three squadrons of bombardment and a squadron for in-flight refueling under the Strategic Air Command. On 01 February 1996 the l'Escadron de bombardement [bombardment squadron] EB 3/94 Arbois was formed at Luxeuil AB.

Two squadrons [1/4 Dauphiné et 2/4 La Fayette] of Mirage 2000N belonging to the 4th pursuit squadron are deployed at Luxeuil, under the command of the Strategic Air Command. The planes are deployed in hardened shelters, and are equipped with ASMP missiles which are stored, assembled, and installed in planes, within DAMS (Dépôts d'armes et de munitions spéciales).

The history of the l'Escadron de chasse (E.C) 01/004 " Dauphine " began in 1916 at the time of the First World War where its escadrilles was illustrated. The Squadron was declared operational on Mirage 2000 N in July 1988 at the time of the visit of François Mitterrand to the Air Basis 116 at Luxeuil. The Dauphine E.C 01/004 is composed of escadrilles SPA 37 " Vulture ", SPA 81 " Greyhound " and SPA 92 " Lion of Belfort ". EC. 1/4 has been tasked with the delivery of nuclear weapon since 1972. At that time, the squadron used Mirage IIIE. The principal mission of the squadron was until 01 July 1996 the nuclear mission of ultimate warning. Since this date, the squadron took the mission in the past assigned to Mirages IVP: the strategic nuclear mission. Today, the 1/4 flies the Mirage 2000N in the role the nuclear penetration at low altitude. It is not the only squadron of the 42nd squadron present in Luxeuil, there is also EC. 2/4 La Fayette which also flies the 2000N. On the other hand, the 3/4 is stationed in Istres.

The current Escadron de chasse (E.C) 02/004 "La Fayette", became operational in July 1989 with the Mirage 2000 N. Composed of escadrilles N 124 "Sioux", SPA 167 "Storks" and SPA 160 "Red Devil", the E.C 02/004 La Fayette perpetuates traditions inherited from a prestigious past.

In October 1996, the French defense procurement agency awarded Thomson-CSF the contract to upgrade the Mirage 2000N simulator which entered service in 1988 at the Luxeuil air base. The upgrade incorporated all aircraft modifications, and a stand-alone debriefing station will be added. Installation at Luxeuil began in early 1998 and the simulator, once upgraded to K2 standard, became operational in May 1998.