# Istres-Le Tubé Air Base

> Istres, Bouches-du-Rhône, FR · ICAO: LFMI · Medium Airport

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| ICAO | `LFMI` |
| City | Istres, Bouches-du-Rhône |
| Country | FR |
| Type | Medium Airport |
| Elevation | 25 m |
| Cargo | ❌ |
| GPS | 43.52270, 4.92384 |

## Description

The Escadron de Ravitaillement en Vol et de Transport Stratégiques 1/31 "Bretagne" operates France's A330 MRTT Phénix tanker-transport fleet from Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (Base Aérienne 125, ICAO: LFMI), about 50 km northwest of Marseille; the type reached full operational capability after the last KC-135R was retired on 30 June 2025. The base is also France's principal flight-test site, hosting the DGA flight-test centre (DGA Essais en vol) and the EPNER test-pilot school, where the Rafale F4.3 standard was trialled in 2025. It is a military facility with no civil cargo operations. For air freight in Provence, Marseille Provence Airport (IATA: MRS) is the nearest full cargo option.

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*Freight Academy — Airport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/istres-le-tube-air-base-airport-lfmi](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/istres-le-tube-air-base-airport-lfmi)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/airports/en/istres-le-tube-air-base-airport-lfmi](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/airports/en/istres-le-tube-air-base-airport-lfmi)*

*LLM-Summary (JSON): https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/airports/istres-le-tube-air-base-airport-lfmi/llm-summary*