"Just a nice Picture ...!"

Aviation Photographer Anthony Pecchi had an excellent opportunity to report on Marine Nationale (French Navy) 4 Flotille (4F), which operates the E-2C Hawkeye carried-based airborne early warning aircraft.

The Hawkeyes are operated from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91). The home base of the squadron is Base d'aéronautique navale (BAN) Lorient/Lann-Bihoué in the Britanny region of France.

After operating the Douglas SBD Dauntless and the Grumman TBM3E Avenger, the squadron re-equipped with the Breguet Alizé carrier-based anti-submarine aircraft in 1959 and operated them until 1997. In March 2000, the unit was re-formed to operate the E-2C Hawkeye.

In July 2020, the US State Department made the determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to France of three E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes and related equipment for an estimated cost of USD 2 billion.

The order for the E-2D Hawkeye was confirmed by the French Ministry of Defence on 20 November 2020.

Photo by Anthony Pecchi Aviation Photographer