- Yes
- No
Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.
Today, I am presenting a new French aircraft, a legendary machine of French naval aviation: the Breguet Br.1050 Alizé.
In the early 1950s, the French Navy was looking for a new carrier-based aircraft dedicated to anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare. Its TBM Avengers were becoming increasingly obsolete and urgently needed a replacement, preferably a French-designed aircraft. Drawing on its extensive experience in naval aviation, Breguet proposed a new design: the Br.960 Vultur.
Although the Vultur showed considerable promise, it did not fully meet the Navy’s requirements. Breguet therefore continued to refine the concept, producing the intermediate Br.965 Épaulard before eventually arriving at the definitive design: the Br.1050 Alizé.
The prototype made its maiden flight in 1956, and the resulting aircraft was considerably different from the original Vultur. The Alizé was a large, single-engine turboprop aircraft specifically designed for carrier operations. It could carry a substantial weapons load, but its primary mission was anti-submarine warfare. To fulfill this role, it was equipped with a powerful surface-search radar capable of detecting ships and, more importantly, submarine periscopes.
The first production aircraft were delivered in 1959. Following an extensive testing and certification program conducted partly in cooperation with the British, the Alizé was cleared for carrier operations. France initially planned to purchase 100 aircraft, but this was eventually reduced to 75. India also selected the type and ordered twelve aircraft.
Once in service, French Alizés operated from several aircraft carriers, including the Arromanches, Clemenceau, and Foch. Despite their long service life, French Alizés never actually saw combat. Their missions remained focused on maritime patrol, reconnaissance, and target detection, and they never had the opportunity to employ their weapons in anger.
The Indian Alizés, however, did see combat during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. They conducted several anti-submarine and anti-surface missions and were credited with sinking three Pakistani patrol vessels. The aircraft also suffered losses during these operations, with one Alizé being shot down by a Pakistani F-104 Starfighter.
The Br.1050 Alizé remained in its original configuration until the early 1980s, when modernization efforts produced the Alizé ALM, an improved version that will be the subject of a separate suggestion. The type nevertheless continued to evolve, with the final aircraft remaining operational until 2000, some of them in the later ALH configuration.
After more than four decades of service, the Alizé finally retired, making it one of the longest-serving aircraft in French naval aviation history.
Characteristics
Length : 13.80 m
Width : 15.60 m
Height : 5.00 m
Mass :
- Empty : 5,700 kg
- Max : 8,200 kg
The aircraft is powered by a 1,950 hp Rolls-Royce turboprop engine, enabling it to reach a top speed of 470 km/h and a service ceiling of 6,248 m. It has a range of 2,500 km (with the radar retracted), equating to 7 hours and 40 minutes of flight time at a cruising speed of 232 km/h.
The crew consists of a pilot, a co-pilot, and a radar operator seated in the rear.
Equipment
This initial version of the Alizé does not yet feature the full equipment suite found on later versions; it is limited to the DRAA-2A radar housed in a retractable radome beneath the fuselage. This radar allows for the detection of surface vessels and periscopes.
Weapons
The aircraft’s armament is quite capable, though it remains focused on anti-ship and anti-submarine roles. It carries the following weaponry:
Bombs:
-
3 x Mk 54 depth charges (internal bay)
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2 x Mk 54 depth charges (under-wing)
-
Various standard bombs
Rockets:
- 6 x 127mm rockets
- 6 x 68mm rocket pods
Torpedoes:
- 1 x Mk 43 torpedo
- 1 x Mk 44 torpedo
Missiles:
- 2 x AS-12 wire-guided missiles
Additionally, a 500-liter fuel tank can be carried in the internal bay (similar to the British Buccaneer).
In-game, this early version of the Alizé would be a welcome addition to the French tech tree. It introduces a maritime patrol aircraft with a solid payload capacity, with its only drawback being the lack of defensive weaponry.
