On 14 July 2022, the mirage 2000 C of Squadron 2/5 île-de-France perform her last flight after 33 years of service
Heir to the traditions of Free France, the 2/5 Île-de-France has been responsible for the training and operational transformation of all Mirage 2000 pilots. To this end, it is equipped with seven Mirage 2000Bs (two-seaters) and 20 Mirage 2000Cs (single-seaters). In addition to this training responsibility, the squadron is responsible for demonstrating the Mirage 2000 at airshows with a Solo Display.
It's primary mission remains air defense, and its participation in external operations has declined since the 2000s. As part of the permanent security posture, EC 2/5 is regularly deployed to French Guiana to take part in Operation Titan during rocket launches at the Guiana Space Center. The squadron received a third squadron (SPA 124 “Jeanne d'Arc”) in September 2008, while the “Vincennes” squadron was put on hold.
On June 11, 2010, during the 92nd anniversary of the Spa 162 "Tigre" of the "Cambrésis", the 2/5 Île-de-France fighter squadron and the 1/12 Cambrésis fighter squadron arrived in Chad to replace the last remaining Mirage F1s on the African continent. The squadron was also deployed as part of the Baltic Air Policing in 2011 to Šiauliai and in 2014 to Malbork.
The 2/5 regularly participated in Operation Barkhane starting in July 2015 from the Niamey base, operating Mirage 2000Cs on patrol with 2000Ds from the 3rd Fighter Wing to conduct close air support missions. As the squadron specializes in air defense, these deployments required training in air-to-ground missions.
The Mirage 2000s of the 2/5th Squadron were withdrawn from the Barkhane air detachment between November 2019 and December 2020 to reduce operational pressure on the squadron. The aircraft is aging and will not be up to the new high-intensity warfare doctrine, but remains suited to its primary missions (operational permanence, Mirage 2000 transformation, and overseas operations).
On June 23, 2022, a ceremony presided over by General Stéphane Mille, Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force, marked the retirement of the Mirage 2000C RDI. As of that date, the squadron was mothballed and its crews will be converted to Dassault Rafales to form a squadron on BA 115 starting in July 2024.
And here we are, last day of flight in evreux, after the flypast over Paris, the Mirage 2000 B of the squadron will go in Nancy airbase to continu the formation of the pilots, the mirage 2000 C will go in Istres for storage.
I would like to particularly thank the French Air Force, 2/5 squadron & Ba 106 personnel for their accessibility and kindness, without their accreditations some photos would not have been possible !
Thank you for your trust without which this inside tour would not have been possible.
The Squadron 2/5 île-de-France will be reborn better !
https://ec25iledefrance.com/
