French Air Force Assets Heading to the Middle East

This evening, we are tracking two new assets heading toward the Middle East.

They are two French Air Force aircraft: a Boeing E-3CF (reg. 602-CA) that took off from Avord Air Base in central France, and a Boeing C-135FR (reg. 497) that departed from Istres Air Base. No other aircraft are currently being tracked, and it is unclear whether the tanker is supporting additional assets.

The two aircraft are currently flying eastbound over the central Mediterranean.

While we do not know their exact destination, it’s worth noting that France maintains a Rafale detachment in Jordan. Last year, Paris declared that “La France assurera la sécurité d’Israël en cas d’attaque de l’Iran ou des alliés dans la région et elle le ferait aux côtés de ses alliés” (“France will ensure Israel’s security in the event of an attack by Iran or its allies in the region, and will do so alongside its partners”).

However, we cannot confirm whether these missions are directly related to the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.