Base aérienne 120 Cazaux (Commandant Marzac)

Base Aérienne 120 « Commandant Marzac » is a French Air and Space Force air base located near Cazaux, in the Gironde department. Established in September 1915, it is one of the oldest active air bases in France. Its history began with the operational instruction of aerial gunnery in 1915, evolving through the World Wars. During World War I, it served as the Aerial Gunnery School of Cazaux, focusing on combat training for military pilots and anti-aircraft defense. After 1945, it became a missile testing center in 1949. From 1964 to 1996, it hosted the Escadron de bombardement 2/91 Bretagne, operating Dassault Mirage IVA and Mirage IVP aircraft equipped with nuclear weapons, as part of France's strategic deterrence force. The base is primarily used for the training and integration of French and foreign fighter pilots, aerial gunnery training, and munitions testing. It features an NATO-standard runway. Since 1999, the base has hosted the No 150 Squadron of the Republic of Singapore Air Force, which trains Singaporean pilots on Aermacchi M-346 aircraft before they are assigned to operational units. The base also trains air firefighters. As of 2015, main units include the 8e escadre de chasse, comprising the Escadron de transition opérationnelle 2/8 Nice and the Escadron d'entraînement 3/8 Côte d'Or, both on Alphajet, and the Escadron d'hélicoptères 1/67 Pyrénées, an EC 725 Caracal unit for special forces and search and rescue. Other units include the Centre d'Expertise de l'Armement Embarqué, responsible for training French and foreign trainees in airborne weaponry, and various support and training centers.