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Luxembourg: Air ensign and roundels

Air ensign
Aircraft markings

See also:

Luxembourg

Air ensign

Air ensign of Luxembourg - Image by Zoltan Horváth, 30 June 2024

The ensign of Luxembourg is made of ten horizontal white and blue stripes with a red lion over all. The proportions are 5:7. The name of this ensign is the rode lew (red lion). It is a banner of the lesser national arms.
The ensign was established by the Law on National Emblems of 23 June 1972. The illustrations appended to the text are just a picturial information, they are not part of the Law:

Les armoiries du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, le drapeau national et le pavillon de la batellerie et de l'aviation sont reproduits en annexe à la présente loi, le texte seul faisant foi.

The Grand-Ducal Regulation of 27 July 1993 specifically included the Ensign in Article 2.

Before 1990, this flag was the water canal transport ensign and at the same time the air ensign.
The square version of the ensign is also the obverse of the army flag and the obverse of the Gendarmerie flag.

Pascal Vagnat, 8 March 2003

Aircraft markings

Luxembourg Army aviation roundel & fin flash 1957-1968 - Image by Nozomi Kariyasu, 30 June 2024
Source: Military Aircraft Insignia of the World [c2e98].

The "light aviation section" of the Luxembourg Army included three Piper PA-18 Super Cub light observation aircraft in service from 1952 to 1968.

Olivier Touzeau, 11 January 2025

Luxembourg Army aviation roundel & fin flash 1968 - Image by Nozomi Kariyasu, 30 June 2024

The Luxembourg defence forces do not possess an aviation complement, but for political reasons NATO aircraft are registered in the Grand Duchy. The NATO symbol, a four-pointed compass design in blue, appears in normal possitions on wings, fuselage and fin. Since the mid-1980s aircraft have also carried a roundel based on the national arms of Luxembourg. This is a red lion on a blue and white striped disc.
The image in the source actually shows a rectangular white pannel with blue NATO compass, just in inverted colours as on the NATO flag.
Source: Military Aircraft Insignia of the World [c2e98]

Željko Heimer, 16 May 2002

On 13 June 2001, Luxembourg and Belgium concluded a cooperation agreement on the joint acquisition and operation of an A400M aircraft for Luxembourg. The creation of an air component within the Army became a necessity. This need was formalised in the framework of the law on the reorganisation of the Army of December 2007. In 2011, the start-up of the air component was initiated with the mission of preparing before receiving the A400M. On 7 October 2020, the Luxembourg A400M was delivered. The law of August 7, 2023 on military organization no longer includes the notion of Air Component, but created an Air Department within the strategic division of the Army.

Olivier Touzeau, 11 January 2025