Page 44 - Air Forces Monthly - September 2017

MIRAGE DISPLAY TEAM

T HE ARMÉE de l’Air (French Air Force)
Ramex Delta display team became
very popular among airshow
audiences across Europe between 2010
and 2016. The French Air Force enjoys a
strong tradition of two-ship fast jet displays.
During the 1990s the Voltige Victor (Mirage
F1s) and the Raffin Mike (Jaguar As) tactical
display teams would perform alongside the
high-performance, single-ship Mirage 2000C
demonstration. After these teams disbanded,
there were occasional two- or four-ship
demonstrations, typically when a squadron
organised an airshow at its home airfield.
In 2010 Escadron de Chasse (EC, Fighter
Squadron) 2/4 ‘La Fayette’ took the
opportunity to renew this tradition and
established Ramex Delta with a pair of Right: With the demise of Ramex Delta it
Mirage 2000N strike fighters. Having looked as though it was the end for the
a permanent team made it possible to Armée de l’Air’s tactical display teams. The
attend airshows further afield and to arrival of Couteau Delta was therefore warmly
spend more time refining the display. welcomed by airshow afi cionados. All photos P
Olivier unless stated
However, with EC 2/4 making the transition Below: The Couteau Delta team members for 2017
from the Mirage 2000N to the Rafale B, with one of their mounts. From left to right: ‘San’
and moving from Istres to Saint-Dizier (pilot), ‘Axel’ (WSO), ‘Pastif’ (WSO) and ‘Elvis’ (pilot).
Below right: The Couteau Delta aircrew brief with
in the process, it was decided that 2016 ‘Gaby’ (second from right), the leader of the former
would be Ramex Delta’s final season. Ramex Delta team.

44 // SEPTEMBER 2017 #354 www.airforcesmonthly.com