A small experimental unit had been investigating ground-attack tactics since 1937, initially in outdated
biplanes such as the
Potez 25, then in
ANF Les Mureaux 115 monoplanes. Eventually, the concluded that low-altitude level bombing was more suitable than dive-bombing for engaging enemy vehicles and artillery on the battlefield. The chosen tactic consisted in a
hedge hopping approach at maximum speed, followed by a strafing run or the delivery of time-delayed bombs directly over the target. French commanders widely considered this tactic safe for the attackers, as anti-aircraft weapons then in service would be inefficient. The French Army was not using anti-aircraft autocannon at the time (the
25 mm Hotchkiss and
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon were issued only later), relying instead on rifle-calibre machine guns and slow-firing guns. In late 1939, two squadrons transferred from level bomber units were gathered in the small airfield near
Vinon-sur-Verdon, where they began their operational training. As Bréguet 691s were not available, the crews flew the
Potez 633 light bomber. When they were delivered, the Bréguets were popular with their crews, although the unreliable engines in the Bre 691 affected aircraft serviceability and
undercarriage failures proved especially troublesome. Only in March 1940 were the first combat-worthy Bre. 693s delivered and there were now five squadrons to equip,
GBA I/51,
GBA II/51,
GBA I/54,
GBA II/54, and
GBA II/35 (GBA, , attack bomber squadron), with a theoretical complement of 13 aircraft each. Because of late deliveries, crews were still working up their new machines and developing tactics when the
Battle of France began. On 12 May, GBA I/54 and GBA II/54 performed the Bréguet's first operational sorties, against German motorized columns in the
Liège–
Tongeren–
Maastricht area. German anti-aircraft fire shot down eight of the eighteen Bre.693s. The disastrous results of this first engagement forced the French commanders to reconsider their tactics. Until 15 May, GBA crews performed shallow dive attacks from higher altitude, which resulted in reduced losses but the attacks had clearly been inaccurate, as the Bréguet lacked a
bombsight. On subsequent missions, the GBAs reintroduced low-level attacks in smaller formations. As the position of the French and Allied armies grew steadily more desperate, the assault groups were engaged daily, still enduring losses to anti-aircraft fire but also increasingly to German fighters. In late June, the tried to evacuate its modern aircraft to North Africa, from where many hoped to continue the fight. The short-ranged Bréguets were not deemed able to cross the Mediterranean. Unlike other modern French types, the Bréguet 690 family saw its combat career end with the
Armistice. By this time, 104 aircraft had been lost and 14 were written off in November 1940 (most of these had also been destroyed or damaged beyond repair during the campaign). Out of 205 Bréguets delivered to the , 58 per cent were lost. The five GBAs suffered crew casualties of around 50 per cent. After the Armistice, the
Vichy authorities were allowed to maintain a small air force in mainland France and its assault bomber pilots flew rare training flights in the Bre.693 and Bre.695. After
Case Anton, the German occupation of all of France in late 1942, some of the survivors in the Italian occupation zone were transferred to
Italy but were not used. The Germans ordered the completion of several unfinished aircraft after the Armistice that were used as advanced
trainers. ==Variants==