BAN Landivisiau

Base d'aéronautique navale (BAN) Landivisiau is a French Naval Aviation base located near Landivisiau in the Finistère department, approximately 30 kilometers from Brest. Covering 370 hectares, the base was inaugurated on February 1, 1965, by French President Charles de Gaulle. The installation was established to support carrier-borne fighter flotillas operating from the aircraft carriers Clemenceau and Foch, which were based at the nearby Brest arsenal. The base's construction involved NATO participation, and the facility operated under NATO status until France's withdrawal from the integrated military command in 1966.

BAN Landivisiau is operated by the French Navy and supports the entirety of France's carrier-borne fighter aviation. The base employs approximately 1,600 personnel, including 230 civilians, distributed across four service groups. It hosts three fighter flotillas: Flottille 11F, Flottille 12F, and Flottille 17F, alongside the Escadrille 57S flight school. Each fighter flotilla consists of approximately 170 personnel, including pilots. The base provides operational, technical, and logistical support for these units, which form the carrier air wing of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. The stationed flotillas execute assault, reconnaissance, and low-altitude air defense missions from both land and sea.

The base operates squadrons of Dassault Rafale M fighters, assigned to Flottilles 11F, 12F, and 17F, and Dassault Falcon 10 Mer aircraft, assigned to Escadrille 57S. The infrastructure is specifically configured for naval aviation requirements. It enables pilots to perform simulated carrier landings directly on the runway to prepare for deployment. Additionally, the tarmac features ground markings that replicate the exact dimensions and layout of the Charles de Gaulle flight deck. This infrastructure allows pilots and flight deck personnel to practice deck maneuvers, aircraft handling, and coordination with visual directors and air traffic control in a simulated carrier environment.