The Quest for Relevant Air Power

128 │ French Air Force
1960s, when the FAF ordered 12 American Boeing C-135FR aerial
tankers to support its Mirage IV strategic bomber squadrons. 296
From 1985 onwards, the C-135FRs received new engines to improve
their performance. This, however, only slightly eased French
shortfalls in AAR, which became evident during Operation Desert
Storm and again during Operation Allied Force. 297 Moreover,
the availability rate has decreased due to the high degree of maintenance
required for the aging C-135FR fleet. This problem also
affected the C-160 Transall fleet and early versions of the Mirage
2000—their availability rate fell at times to between 50 to 60 per
cent. Emergency sums for maintenance were disbursed in 2002 in
an attempt to alleviate the deficit. 298 As in the case of the combat
aircraft fleet, the FAF introduced various interim solutions to maintain
its AAR capacities at a sufficient level. For instance, a number
of C-135FRs were equipped with additional wing-mounted refuelling
pods. Moreover, the purchase of three additional secondhand
C-135s was announced in the military planning law for 1997–
2002. 299 Beyond 2015 the aging French tanker fleet is planned to
be renewed by the acquisition of 14 Airbus multirole transport
tanker (MRTT) aircraft. 300
Another specific element of air mobility is CSAR. The FAF has
undertaken particular efforts in this field in recent years. During
the Balkans crisis, the FAF provided the only European CSAR capability
alongside the Americans. 301 A CSAR helicopter squadron
consisting of nine specially equipped Puma helicopters was
formed for this purpose in 1994. 302 To enhance its CSAR capability,
the FAF ordered the EC 725 Caracal helicopters conceived
for the CSAR task. The FAF views CSAR as a key capability that
can also provide leverage in coalition operations. 303
C4ISTAR
Shortfalls in the area of C4ISTAR proved to be serious during
Operation Desert Storm. The lack of electronic C2 systems particularly
constrained the FAF in its freedom of action. 304 Efforts to
improve the situation followed throughout the 1990s.
A quantum leap was made at the outset of the post–Cold War
era by the procurement of four Boeing E-3 AWACS aircraft. In a
national scenario, they significantly complemented ground-based
detectors. In an out-of-area scenario, they provided an unprece-