origins and traditions of the"02/12 Picardie"

 - In April 1954 the 1st squadron of hunting included only one squadron: EC. 01/012"Cambresis". May 1 of this year there, the number and the name of the 02/012"Picardie" appear for the first time on the register of the administrative acts of the squadron. June 5, a part of the personnel of the 01/012 is transferred to form the core of the 02/012 and on June 15 "Picardie" becomes a squadron of hunting to whole share. It counts then two escadrilles:la SPA 173"L"oiseau Bleu "and the SPA 172"Perroquet rouge ", two prestigious units of the first world war.

The squadron evolves on Ouragan then on Mystère IVA. But on November 1, 1957, the war of Algeria and the sponsorship of the escadrilles of light aviation and appui(EALA 15/72 and 5/72) cause its dissolution.

After 23 years of absence, "Picardie" reappears on June 1, 1980 on Mirage F1C to ensure its mission of air defense. With the capacity "in-flight refueling" of its aircraft, the 02/012 participle with all the actions of the forces of external assistance, in particular in Chad within the framework of the "Manta" operations then "Epervier". The history will retain that on January 25, 1984, after having wiped shootings of enemy ground-to-air artillery, the 02/012 becomes the 1st unit of the Command air of the Forces of air défence to open fire in Africa.
From March to June 1991 "Picardie" takes part in the air défence of Qatar within the framework of the operation "Méteil". During this period the squadron carries out 271 hours of flight at 334 exits (34 hours of night for 28 exits).

In September 1991 and following the plan Armed 2000, "Picardie" passes under the command of the tactical air force. The transformation of the 02/012 on Mirage 2000 starts in September 1992. With the arrival of this aircraft, the squadron increases considerably his potential and his capacities, discovering and improving the tactics of the modern air défence. "fourth" dimension, that of the electronic war, becomes one of the daily elements of the drive to the aerial combat.
June 20, 1995, following new reorganizations, the level squadron disappears and the 12 is erased. Become autonomous, the squadron of hunting 02/012 "Picardie" sees itself equipped in September 1996 with a third flotilla which takes again the traditions of the SPA 90, with for insigner a cock of singing profile..

men with the service of a mission

Our mission in times of peace consists in ensuring the top of the own territory the air missions of safety, which one more commonly calls "operational permanence" or the "police force of the sky". This mission, which is permanent, is held 24 hours a day and 365 days out of 365..

Planes are in alarm, ready to take off to intercept an intruder or an aircraft in distress. the personnel can make leave the planes into 2, 7, or 15 minutes following the response times wanted by the state major. The speed of the air action obliges us to be very reactive: when the organization of civil control detects the abnormal behavior of an apparatus, it immediately transmits this information to the chain of air defense. The interception by a fighter makes it possible as well as possible to evaluate the situation and of raising all the doubts as fast as possible.

The mission time of war consists in ensuring air defense and the escort of the reconnaissance aircraft and offensive. It is in this framework that the squadron took part in the detachments on the theatres of operations such as "alysse" (prohibition of overflight of the south of Iraq), "Crécerelle" (prohibition of overflight of Bosnia) or the operation "trident" in Kosovo.

During one year, the flying activity of each pilot is of approximately 180 hours of flight. This drive enables them to acquire the techniques of modern combat. Some of these missions require a particular qualification which should be renewed constantly, such as for example the in-flight refueling or the night flight. The arrival of modern means of "débriefing" improved the restitution of the missions in a context of electronic war increasingly important.

nowaday..

The squadron, which implements 18 Mirages 2000C RDI currently counts 25 pilots, 140 mechanics and a small administrative cell. The campaigns shooting, the detachments and the exercises national and international (the Netherlands, Poland, Canada...), the operational detachments (external theatres, protection of governmental tops within the framework of air safety) entrainent of many deployments of personnel and planes. These deployments are the occasion to show the rigour and the professionalism of the personnel of this unit of which devotion has equal only their passion and their availability. Beyond the quality of the materials implemented, it is the spirit of the group and the men who make it up which makes the force and the richness of the fighting squadron.