Guadeloupe Aviation

Guadeloupe Aviation • French Forces in the West Indies (Antilles)

Based on the source materials, Guadeloupe is an overseas department and region of France and does not maintain a sovereign, independent air force. Aviation support for the territory is provided by the French Armed Forces as part of the regional deployment for the French West Indies (Antilles).

GUADELOUPE AVIATION • French Forces in the West Indies (Antilles)

Guadeloupe Personnel: Integrated French Armed Forces (approx. 1,000 regional personnel).

Forces by Role & Equipment by Type
(incl Naval & Gendarmerie units)

• AIRCRAFT No combat capable. Total 4+ Aircraft (Regional).

Maritime Patrol / Search & Rescue (French Navy)
1 detachment with:

• 1 Eurocopter AS565SA Panther;


• 1 Aerospatiale SA319 Alouette III.


• Note: Alouette III variants were scheduled to be withdrawn from service (WFU) starting in late 2022, though they remained listed in regional deployments in recent reviews.

Internal Security / Law Enforcement (French Gendarmerie)
1 unit with:

• 2 Aerospatiale AS350BA Ecureuil.

Tactical Transport / Support (French Air Force Detachments)

• Guadeloupe historically hosts detached French Air Force (AdA) assets at Pointe-à-Pitre, including light twin-engine transport aircraft and helicopters such as the CASA CN235M or SA330 Puma, primarily for regional logistics and logistics support.

Facilities:
Le Raizet (PTP) Airport (Guadeloupe Island)
St. Francois (SFC) Airport (Guadeloupe Island)
La Desirade Les Galets (DSD) Airport (Baie Mahualt Island)
Terre-de-Bas (HTB Airport (Grand Anse Island)
Terre de Haut (LSS) Airport (Le Marigot Island)
Marie Galante (GBJ) Airport (Marie Galante Island)

Local Aviation
No regular military forces; defense is the responsibility of France.

Capabilities & Role

Aviation operations in Guadeloupe are fully integrated into the French Armed Forces in the West Indies (Antilles), which covers both Guadeloupe and Martinique. The primary missions for these assets include maritime surveillance, counter-narcotics, and regional disaster relief.

While the regional command and primary naval base are situated at Fort-de-France (Martinique), the airfield at Pointe-à-Pitre serves as a strategic hub for detachments from the French Air and Space Force to support logistics and search and rescue (SAR) duties across the department. The force maintains a high state of readiness to intercept illicit maritime trafficking in the Caribbean and is a frequent participant in multinational security exercises with regional partners.