The Pegase deployments, which began in 2018, were usually directed in the Indo-Pacific region. With Paris now playing a greater role in reinforcing NATO\u2019s eastern flank before Russia, as the United States under President Donald Trump diminishes strategic and military support to Europe, the deployment will be limited to Europe, and especially the northern regions, as the mission is also being called P\u00e9gase Grand Nord 25.<\/p>\n
A total of six twin-seat Rafale Bs, two A400M and an A330 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) \u201cPh\u00e9nix\u201d are presently at Lule\u00e5. While on the way to the Scandinavian country, the formation was also refueled by a RAF (Royal Air Force) Voyager KC2 (British designation for their A330 MRTT).<\/p>\n 2\/ Une premi\u00e8re pour cette mission de projection strat\u00e9gique. \u2014 Arm\u00e9e de l\u2019Air et de l\u2019Espace (@Armee_de_lair) April 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The French contingent departed from the FASF bases of Mont-de-Marsan, Istres, Saint-Dizier and Orl\u00e9ans in what the service described<\/a> as \u201ca new, unprecedented edition of our power projection operation.\u201d On its LinkedIn<\/a> page, the FASF said the P\u00e9gase Grand Nord demonstrates the ASF\u2019s ability to \u201cdeploy quickly, far and autonomously.\u201d<\/p>\n The NATO Air Command<\/a> also said about the ACE focus of P\u00e9gase 25: \u201cACE missions are dynamic, providing flexibility and agility that enhance Allied readiness to deploy, sustain and project capabilities across NATO airspace.\u201d<\/p>\n \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 Rafale arrive in Lule\u00e5 \ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddea to conduct Agile Combat Employment (ACE) missions during PEGASE 25<\/p>\n ACE missions are dynamic, providing flexibility and agility that enhance Allied readiness to deploy, sustain and project capabilities across #NATO<\/a> airspace pic.twitter.com\/Ef4lywzERl<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM) April 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Journey to Sweden<\/strong><\/p>\n In Sweden, the FASF fleet, led by General Patrice Hugret, was welcomed by the F 21 base commander Colonel Peter Greberg. The Rafale Bs and the Flygvapnet\u2019s Gripens will conduct several operations over the week.<\/p>\n The Norrbotten Wing\u2019s page mentioned<\/a>: \u201cThis time as part of the annual recurring PEGASE concept [\u2026] the French Air Force shows its ability to operate worldwide while building relations with the host countries.\u201d<\/p>\n I just got some exclusive picture of the 2 Rafale \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 flying over the Baltic Sea yesterday!<\/p>\n I kind of miss this feeling\u2026\ud83d\ude2e\u200d\ud83d\udca8 https:\/\/t.co\/XjPdnfmsq4<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/F2dFT9xevl<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Servez Julien (@ZaFly24) April 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The formation was visible on live flight tracking websites, with three A330 MRTTs (callsigns FAF4093, FAF4094 and FAF4092), a Rafale B (FAF7720) and another unidentified aircraft with the callsign FAF7721 visible as they flew eastwards over the North Sea and the Baltic Sea near Kaliningrad, along the Dutch, German and Polish waters, before turning north to head to Sweden. ADS-B tracking also showed a FASF E-3F AWACS (Airborne Early Warning and Control) accompanying the aircraft over the Baltic Sea.<\/p>\n The P\u00e9gase 25 mission has kicked off.<\/p>\n The French Air Force is deployed in northern Europe, a concrete commitment to European security alongside its allies.<\/p>\n Deter, protect, act together. https:\/\/t.co\/N6mcpNcg13<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/b3gu3BZDVV<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 French Aid to Ukraine \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddf5 \ud83e\udd1c\ud83e\udd1b \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@aidefranceukr) April 22, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n A video shared<\/a> by the French Joint Staff showed a Voyager simultaneously refueling two Rafales from its underwing pods. In the caption, the military said the joint action was for the \u201cbenefit of European security.\u201d<\/p>\n The FASF also released pictures of the personnel embarking on the service\u2019s A330, and the A400M being loaded with maintenance equipment and other support cargo. The Rafales flew to Sweden with a mix of various loadouts including GBU-12 Paveway IIs, MICA EM and MICA IR AAMs (Air-to-Air Missiles), and external fuel tanks on the centerline and the wings\u2019 inner hardpoints.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccdGrand Nord | #PEGASE25<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udd01 Ravitaillement des Rafale \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 par MRTT \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 lors du d\u00e9ploiement vers la Su\u00e8de.<\/p>\n \u27a1\ufe0f Action conjointe \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7\ud83e\udd1d\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 au profit de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 europ\u00e9enne.#CJEF<\/a>. pic.twitter.com\/oOAdZsCrWS<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Arm\u00e9e fran\u00e7aise \u2013 Op\u00e9rations militaires (@EtatMajorFR) April 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n A video<\/a> released by the Swedes on Instagram shows cockpit footage of a Rafale as an A400M refuelled another Rafale, flanked by a Gripen and a third Rafale. Some of the Rafales were also refueled by a FASF\u2019s A330 MRTT, seen in another cockpit footage from a Rafale released by the French Armed Forces<\/a> on Instagram, with another A330 flying overhead. Whether this was a French A330 or a RAF Voyager, is not clear.<\/p>\n Activities<\/strong><\/p>\n On Apr. 24<\/a>, the Norrbotten Wing also released an image of two of the Rafale Bs and three Gripens from the Flygvapnet\u2019s 211th Fighter Aviation Division in an arrowhead formation flight, \u201csomewhere at the height of the Arctic Circle.\u201d In another set of images<\/a>, the Wing showed an A400M simultaneously refueling a JAS39 Gripen C and a Rafale B from its underwing pods. All the five aircraft were flying without weapons, with only centerline and underwing fuel tanks.<\/p>\n The aircraft are already at work, with joint missions being conducted by Rafales and Gripens. Among these are range missions with the employment of laser-guided bombs, supported by French and Swedish JTACs (Joint Terminal Attack Controllers) on the ground.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccdGrand Nord | \ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddea\ud83e\udd1d\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 \u2014 Arm\u00e9e fran\u00e7aise \u2013 Op\u00e9rations militaires (@EtatMajorFR) April 24, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n France\u2019s \u2018nuclear\u2019 assertion<\/strong><\/p>\n Etienne Marcuz<\/a>, an associate fellow of French think tank FRS, said on X that some of the Rafales deployed on P\u00e9gase 25 may have been drawn from the French Strategic Air Forces, the nuclear delivery wing of the FASF based at Saint-Dizier. Specifically, this is the 4e Escadre de Chasse (4th Fighter Wing).<\/p>\n This is also consistent with President Emmanuel Macron announcing<\/a> on Mar. 18, 2025, the reopening of the Luxeuil Air Base (Base A\u00e9rienne 116) to begin operating the newest Rafale F5 variant. The jet meets the nuclear deterrent role with the hypersonic ASN4G nuclear cruise missile, and the announcement has been seen as Paris\u2019s effort to expand its nuclear deterrent amid Europe\u2019s uncertain future.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/France-Sweden-Rafale-Pegase-2-706x397.jpg\"\/)
<\/a>French Air and Space Force pilots and Rafale Bs on the flightline during the Pegase 25 deployment. (Image credit: French Air and Space Force)<\/p>\n\n
Objectif de P\u00c9GASE Grand Nord : d\u00e9montrer notre capacit\u00e9 \u00e0 nous d\u00e9ployer vite, loin et de fa\u00e7on autonome. Cette ann\u00e9e, l\u2019arm\u00e9e de l\u2019Air et de l\u2019Espace a pris la direction de l\u2019Europe du Nord. pic.twitter.com\/BbOHRxmBr9<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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<\/a>French Rafales and Swedish Gripens fly in formation. (Image credit: Arm\u00e9e de l\u2019Air et de l\u2019Espace)<\/p>\n\n
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\u2070\ud83d\udcf8 Exercice #PEGASE25<\/a> : Rafale & Gripen en action \u26a1 avec des frappes simul\u00e9es et guid\u00e9es par des \u00e9l\u00e9ments \ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddea-\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7.
\u2070\u27a1\ufe0f Unit\u00e9 et coh\u00e9sion au service de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 europ\u00e9enne. pic.twitter.com\/3pcidRldkX<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/blockquote>\n
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