The Wings of the Army

Initially born from the sole needs of the artillery, then those of the land combatant to free himself from the contingencies of the ground, the air assets of the army were quickly structured by the operations on the Indochinese and Algerian theatres. In 1954, the Army Light Aviation was officially created, and has been present in all theatres of operations ever since, constantly renewing and adapting its modes of action. This maturation has led to the evolution of this weapon from air mobility to air combat, now a decisive asset of the forces. Initially equipped with light aircraft, the ALAT was to take part in the lightning evolution of the helicopter, and in particular in the development of its concepts of use. Largely illustrated and including technical data sheets, this book offers a panorama of the different aircraft by theme. It takes us from the observation and liaison aircraft, whose use in the field began before the creation of the ALAT, to the latest developments in helicopters, the "HNG". He does not forget to mention certain aircraft that were only used for experimental purposes, but also the drones, which in their own way contribute to the army's mastery of the third dimension. Lionel Chauprade is an airline pilot in the main French regional airline. He is also an ALAT reserve officer and is interested in the traditions of this young weapon with its very rich history. He is also passionate about drones, on which he has published a book with the same publisher. Finally, he has been a member of the editorial team of the Aviasport magazine for fifteen years now...