The French on-call duty at the 2019 battlegroup is being prepared

Backed by the CPCO at Mont Valérien

Located within the fort of Mont Valérien in Suresnes, backed by the Center for Planning and Conduct of Operations (CPCO), the Operation HQ is a non-permanent structure capable of commanding the dispatch of a tactical group of the EU (battlegroup) as part of a CSDP (Common Security and Defense Policy) operation, throughout 2019 and not six months as usual. France has, in fact, taken over the niche that the United Kingdom was to provide but which, leaving the EU requires, it has given up providing.

Command over two duty battlegroups

In the first semester, there will be a permanent Spanish battle group (with the Italians and Portuguese) and a French battle group (with the Belgians). In the second half, the tactical group will be armed mainly by the French. It should be noted that another tactical group will be on duty, made up of the Visegard countries (Poles, Czechs, Hungarians and Slovaks) with an operation HQ located in Poland (1). The ramp-up of the Mont Valérien OHQ should continue until the end of 2018 in order to be fully operational in early 2019.

A theoretical force...for now

In theory, this allows the European Union to dispatch a force of around 6000 to 1500 men within a radius of 2500 km, for example for the purposes of interposition in the event of a conflict, evacuation of European citizens or support to a humanitarian operation. The Europeans still have to want it. So far, they have always refused to do so...even when the opportunity presented itself.

Commentary: a return to European commands

For France, 2019 (European election year) could be the sign of a return to CSDP missions and operations. To the assumption of command for the battlegroups, we must indeed add the assumption of command of the EUFOR Althea operation in Bosnia-Herzegovina by a senior French officer (read: Brexit obliges, the command of the EUFOR Althea operation will pass to a Frenchman), as well as the transfer from London to Brest of the MSCHOA — the maritime security center for the Horn of Africa, intended for the merchant navy (read: Maritime piracy. Brest MICA ready to host MSCHOA and take over from Northwood) — not forgetting the assumption of command of the Central African army's training mission (EUTM RCA) halfway through the year.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

A scenario on a secession in Africa

Gathered in working groups, the officers of the European General Staff first established the map of the strategic actors concerned by the independence referendum of a fictitious African region. A crisis in which the European Union will have to quickly engage a stabilization force. All in English. " The establishment of joint planning requires an essential command of English, a common working language. », assures squadron leader Hugues, J5 at the CPCO. " But above all, it is necessary to know how to take advantage of the expertise of certain officers who particularly master the European planning process, while taking into account the operational experience of each one. »

The objective of the training was indeed to perfect the knowledge of the officers on the planning. Common instructions, detailing the European planning method, alternated thus “ with simulation phases carried out on the theme of exercises proposed by the instructors ". Over the week, the staff thus constructed the strategic planning directive (strategic planning directive), the first document produced by an operation HQ at the start of a crisis. To close it all, the 'trainees' worked in front of Major General Daniel Grammatico, Director of Operations of the EU Military Staff (EUMS) and Rear Admiral Jean Hausermann, Head of 'Plans' at the CPCO.

(1) A HQ which does not however appear in the list of operational HQs, at strategic-military level, approved at EU level.