Air Power, Insurgency and the “War on Terror” - Prof. Joel Hayward's ...

Neglected Contributors: The Continental European <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Power</strong>s
a secondary role <strong>and</strong> being primarily relegated to inter-<strong>the</strong>atre <strong>and</strong> intra-<strong>the</strong>atre airlift. In
<strong>the</strong> late-1970s, French Jaguar aircraft took on an increasingly important role, by delivering
concentrated firepower. 602 In <strong>the</strong> first half of <strong>the</strong> 1980s, <strong>the</strong> increasing Libyan air threat
for <strong>the</strong> first time made <strong>the</strong> deployment of French air defence assets such as <strong>the</strong> Mirage
F1-C <strong>and</strong> Crotale guided missile batteries necessary. 603 The final major deployment to
Chad, lasting from early 1986 to late 1987, reversed <strong>the</strong> original composition of French
intervention forces. For <strong>the</strong> first time, an air force officer served as <strong>the</strong> joint force
comm<strong>and</strong>er. The operation aimed at deterring enemy air <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong> incursions. For this
purpose, <strong>the</strong> French <strong>Air</strong> Force executed two major offensive counter-air missions deep
inside enemy-held territory, <strong>and</strong> engaged Libyan aircraft at least twice in combat. 604
Besides an increasing threat posed by African opponents <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> desirability of
reducing potential political liabilities associated with prolonged overseas deployment of
substantial ground combat forces, <strong>the</strong> concurrent conduct of several interventions led to
greater reliance upon air power in order to avoid overstretch. This was especially true in
1978, when three major crises – in Zaire, Mauritania, <strong>and</strong> Chad – had to be dealt with
simultaneously. During Operation Lamantin, up to eight French Jaguar combat aircraft
conducted decisive strikes over two days against Polisario rebels, raiding Mauritanian
government installations, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>reby contributed to <strong>the</strong> establishment of a cease-fire.
French air-to-air refuelling aircraft as well as French Navy Atlantic anti-submarinewarfare
aircraft, serving as comm<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> electronic intelligence platforms, supported
<strong>and</strong> guided <strong>the</strong> Jaguar fighter bombers. The detachment never exceeded 350 personnel. 605
This vast experience, spanning <strong>the</strong> spectrum from counter-insurgency operations to
sophisticated offensive counter-air missions, rendered <strong>the</strong> French <strong>Air</strong> Force one of <strong>the</strong>
most combat-experienced western air forces at <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> Cold War. 606 Yet operations
in Africa remained secondary to <strong>the</strong> French <strong>Air</strong> Force’s nuclear role. 607
As during <strong>the</strong> Cold War, French operations in Africa have primarily been autonomous
national operations. In many instances, French forces have intervened in order to
temporarily stabilise hotspots or to evacuate western citizens. As <strong>the</strong>se operations have
required quick reaction, power projection by air has often proved indispensable for
mission-success. Besides airlift, <strong>the</strong> French <strong>Air</strong> Force has often provided combat aircraft,
giving <strong>the</strong> lean French ground force deployments a decisive edge in firepower. Operation
Turquoise, lasting from 22 June until 22 August 1994 aimed at stopping genocide in
Rw<strong>and</strong>a <strong>and</strong> at establishing a safe haven. Since Rw<strong>and</strong>a was a l<strong>and</strong>-locked country <strong>and</strong>
more than 8,000 kilometres away from France, rapid deployment could only be executed
by airlift. Chartered Russian wide-body transport aircraft augmented <strong>the</strong> air-bridge. A
total of three thous<strong>and</strong> personnel as well as seven hundred vehicles <strong>and</strong> additional
cargo were moved during <strong>the</strong> operation. Firepower came from twelve hundred French
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<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Power</strong>, <strong>Insurgency</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> “War on Terror”