Two French Air and Space Force (FASF) pilots flying Mirage 2000-5F multi-role fighters have scored France's first successful aerial victories against enemy aircraft since the end of World War 2, after the two jets engaged in air-to-air combat with Houthi-operated kamikaze drones over the Red Sea on March 9.
Operated by Escadron de Chasse 1/2 (EC 1/2; Fighter Squadron 1/2) ‘Cigognes’ and temporarily assigned to EC 3/11 ‘Corsica’ at Djibouti Air Base (BA188) – a part of Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport in Ambouli, Djibouti – the Mirage 2000-5Fs were tasked on March 9 with providing Combat Air Patrols (CAPs) over the Red Sea to not only assist the Navy vessels involved in Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) in countering the threat of Houthi-launched kamikaze drones and cruise missiles, but also to protect the French military contingent in Djibouti.
