French Army Light Aviation
| French Army Light Aviation | |
|---|---|
| Aviation légère de l'armée de terre | |
 |
|
| Active | 22 November 1954 – present |
| Country | France |
| Type | Army aviation |
| Size | 339 aircraft (2014) |
| Part of | French Army |
The French Army Light Aviation (French: Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre, ALAT, literally Land Army Light Aviation (the army is officially called the 'Land Army' because the air force is officially called the 'Air Army')) is the Army aviation service of the French Army. ALAT was established on 22 November 1954 for observation, reconnaissance, assault and supply duties.
Since its creation in 1954, it has participated in almost all French military engagements and humanitarian aid deployments: the French Indochina War, the Algerian War, the Persian Gulf War of 1990–91, the Lebanese conflict, the war in Chad, the independence of Djibouti, the War in Somalia, operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Kosovo War, the Indoneisan occupation of East Timor, the Operation Licorne in Cote d'Ivoire, the humanitarian response to the December 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the War in Afghanistan,2011 military intervention in Libya.
However, the concept of aerial artillery support is much older: military aviation, which appeared very early in the First World War, and its role was only observation, and subsequent guidance of artillery. The first highlight of this new weapon, whose contribution may have been decisive, took place on 3 September 1914, when squadron REP 15 observation airplanes, attached to the Sixth Army under Maunoury), realized that "the columns of Kluck spin to the south-east [... ]. There can be no question of a serious attack to Paris. "The hope was reborn in the French camp, reinforced by consistent reports of the British Expeditionary Force aircraft. In the hours following, airmen meticulously locate the different Imperial German Army corps. A gap formed between the First Army (Von Kluck) and Second Army (von Bülow). Reports were submitted to Joffre, who decides to take without further delay of this possibility. On 6 September 1914, the First Battle of the Marne began, and the German advance was cut short.
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