During the BASEX‑PROFOR exercise (26 March‑3 April 2026), the French Air and Space Army validated rapid base reaction and mission continuity under threat. A key milestone was the first deployment of an A400M transport aircraft to the civilian airfield at Châteauroux, demonstrating the FRA‑ACE concept of sustaining operations when a base is degraded. The exercise ran in parallel with joint ORION 3 and featured a media day on 1 April, attended by territorial commander General Stéphane Groén. Training covered air‑defense, anti‑drone, and explosive‑device management, simulating degraded scenarios to test rapid dispersion, secondary platforms, and operational continuity. The A400M deployment from base 123 to the civil airport marked the inaugural use of a civilian site for military transport missions, showcasing the Air and Space Armies’ rapid projection and adaptation capabilities as well as the resilience of their technical‑logistic chain.
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