MILAVIA > Specials > Exercise Green Shield 2014 Last updated: 1 May 2014
MILAVIA Military Aviation Specials

Exercise Report : Exercise Green Shield 2014

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

Valter Marchetti visited BA133 Nancy-Ochey during the 2014 bilateral exercise of the air forces of France and Saudi Arabia.

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.

Royal Saudi Air Force flight team Exercise Green Shield 2014
Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 Eagles line-up at BA133 Nancy-Ochey
Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) line-up at Nancy-Ochey
Exercise Green Shield 2014 spotters' day
RSAF F-15 Eagle
AdlA Mirage 2000-5F
AdlA Mirage 2000-5F
AdlA Mirage 2000-5F
RSAF F-15 Eagle
RSAF F-15 Eagle
RSAF F-15 Eagle
RSAF F-15 Eagle
RSAF F-15 Eagle
RSAF F-15 Eagle
RSAF F-15 Eagle
RSAF F-15 Eagle
RSAF F-15 Eagle
RSAF F-15 Eagle
RSAF F-15 Eagle
RSAF F-15 Eagle
AdlA Mirage 2000-5F
AdlA Mirage 2000-5F
AdlA Mirage 2000-5F
AdlA Mirage 2000-5F
AdlA Rafale C
AdlA Rafale B
AdlA Mirage 2000D
RSAF F-15D Eagle
RSAF F-15C Eagle
RSAF F-15 Eagle
RSAF F-15D Eagle
RSAF F-15 Eagle
RSAF F-15D Eagle
RSAF F-15C Eagle
RSAF F-15D Eagle
Surface-to-air threat
Mirage 2000D followed by RSAF F-15
RSAF F-15C Eagle
RSAF F-15C Eagle
RSAF F-15C Eagle
Mirage 2000D take-off
Mirage 2000D take-off
Rafale pair on the move
RSAF F-15C Eagle
RSAF F-15C Eagle
RSAF F-15C Eagle take-off
RSAF F-15C Eagle
Mirage 2000D afterburner
Mirage 2000-5F take-off
Mirage 2000-5F take-off
RSAF F-15C Eagle take-off
RSAF F-15C Eagle afterburner
RSAF F-15C Eagle afterburner
RSAF F-15C Eagle take-off
RSAF F-15C Eagle afterburner
Mirage 2000D afterburner
Mirage 2000D take-off
Mirage 2000D afterburner
Rafale B take-off
Rafale B afterburner
Rafale C take-off
Rafale C
Rafale C afterburner
Mirage 2000-5F afterburner
Mirage 2000-5F take-off
Mirage 2000D landing
RSAF F-15C Eagle landing
RSAF F-15C Eagle touch-down
Mirage 2000-5F pair break
Mirage 2000-5F landing
Mirage 2000-5F landing
RSAF F-15 pair overhead
RSAF F-15C Eagle touch-down
RSAF F-15C Eagle landing
RSAF F-15C Eagle touch-down
RSAF F-15C Eagle landing
Mirage 2000D landing
Mirage 2000D landing
Mirage 2000-5F pair and Rafale return
Mirage 2000-5F landing
Mirage 2000-5F touch-down
Mirage 2000-5F landing
Rafale B touch-down
Rafale B landing
Pair of EC725 Caracal CSAR helicopters
AdlA EC725 Caracal
EC725 Caracal special forces demo
AdlA EC725 Caracal
AdlA EC725 Caracal landing
RSAF F-15 Eagles at BA133 Nancy-Ochey
Exercise Green Shield 2014 patch


Report and photos by Valter Marchetti ( view portfolio )



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First Published: 1 May 2014
Last Modified: 1 May 2014