Serval lacks tanker planes. Assessment of committed allied means (updated)
(B2) The lack of supply planes is felt for Operation Serval. The French have in all and for all five tankers. And only one device was provided by the coalition - the Dutch KDC 10 - which can also be used to transport equipment. Paris therefore turned to London - which has tanker capacity - as well as Berlin to ask them to provide planes. The answer is not negative. But it drags... In total when all the means are engaged, the French will have 8 tactical planes, 8 heavy transport aircraft and 1 surveillance aircraft (not counting the Ukrainian Antonovs used under the NATO Salis contract, or even military transport aircraft under the European Air Transport Command EATC).
It's dragging
The negotiation concerns not only the availability of materials but the invoicing of travel (especially on the British side). Are we talking about additional costs (petrol type) or are we also including personnel and material costs? On the German side, we know that the obstacle is also parliamentary consultation. However, we can hope that this request and negotiation could have a positive effect on the European military transport system EATC. We know that the extension to tankers had been considered. It is possible that the study of this possibility will be expedited.
Confirmed British and C-17 surveillance aircraft
At the same time, the British government confirmed the dispatch of a surveillance plane Sentinel of 5th Squadron, equipped with an Astor surveillance radar. It took off on Friday (January 25) from the RAF (Royal Air Force) base in Waddington to a French air base in Africa (the destination was not specified, N'Djamena?). This shipment is part of a package of decisions adopted by the National Security Council last Tuesday, which studied the various requests for French aid. He also confirmed that the provision of C-17 would be continued.
Reminder of the means committed, on the allied side
European Union = 8 tactical aircraft (C-130/C-160), 3 heavy transport aircraft (C-17), 1 surveillance aircraft, 2 helicopters
- Germany: 2 C-160s
- Belgium: 2 C-130 (in Ivory Coast) + 2 A109 helicopters (Medevac - medical evacuation)
- Denmark: 1 C-130
- Spain: 1 C-130 (it takes off from the Zaragoza base on Saturday to Dakar)
- Italy: 2 C-130s
- Netherlands: 1 KDC 10 tanker/transport aircraft
- United Kingdom: 2 C-17 heavy transport aircraft (already in action) + 1 Sentinel surveillance aircraft
- Sweden: 1 C-17 aircraft (from Papa base)
Outside the European Union
- Canada: 2 C-17 heavy transport aircraft (the Canadian government has extended the contribution of its C-17s until February 15)
- United States: 2-3 C-17 heavy transport planes (the first left the base of Dover towards Istres and landed in Bamako on January 21, announces the US Air Force. On Wednesday, 5 rotations had been accomplished allowing transport 80 soldiers and 124 T of equipment)
- United Arab Emirates : 2 C-17 heavy transport aircraft
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