Along with the United States and the United Kingdom, France is one of the top participants in the Coalition effort against Daesh. Due to the vast involvement of the French military in the conflict, this article has been divided into two parts. This is the first installment.
French Air Force Airbus A340 loading with supplies for Kurdistan
On August 9th, 2014, owing to the dire situation on Mt. Sinjar and across Kurdistan and Iraq, French president François Hollande authorized the immediate delivery of tents, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies to the afflicted regions. The aircraft, an Airbus A340 belonging to 3/60 Estérel, was loaded with 18 tons of aid at Charles de Gaulle International Airport, before lifting off around 7:00 am on August 10th. The flight landed in Erbil around noon, and the cargo was quickly offloaded. A few days later, the aircraft was again loaded with supplies, this time 20 tons, and flown from de Gaulle to Erbil. A third flight between de Gaulle and Erbil took place before August 31st, at which point two Transall C-160 transport aircraft and a detachment of airborne special forces soldiers were deployed to the UAE to act as a safeguard in case of an emergency.
Rafale in reconnaissance mode
The first French reconnaissance flight over Iraq was launched on September 15th, one month after UN Security Council Resolution 2170, which called upon all member-states to assist with the global fight against terrorism, in particular against Daesh and al Qaeda. The aircraft, a pair of Dassault Rafales equipped with Reco NG reconnaissance pods, carried out the mission in order to gather intelligence for future airstrikes. On September 13th, the French contingent in the UAE had been bolstered when an Airbus A400M with intelligence personnel arrived, followed by 40 more soldiers delivered via C-135. On September 16th, another reconnaissance flight was carried out which lasted approximately five hours and required in-flight refueling from a C-135.
French Rafales loaded and in-flight | Bombs striking Daesh target | Returning to base with 2/4 bombs released
The French recon mission in Iraq was supplemented with at least one Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft from 23F starting on or around September 18th. The following day, two Rafales launched from their base in the UAE and were guided to their target with intelligence supplied by a French Navy Atlantique 2. Along the way, both aircraft were refueled a total of five times by both a French C-135 and a United States Air Force (USAF) KC-10 Extender. The French fighter aircraft each released two GBU-12 laser-guided bombs on-target and successfully destroyed a Daesh logistical depot.
French Airbus A400M disgorging its cargo in Erbil
On September 21st, a French Air Force Airbus A400M Atlas touched down in the UAE carrying 10 tons of technical equipment for French ground forces deployed there. French Rafales continued carrying out reconnaissance and strike missions through the end of September and into October, with the C-135 and Atlantique 2 aircraft providing support. On October 1st it was announced that France would be stepping up operations against Daesh, deploying an additional three Rafale aircraft (bringing the total to nine) and scheduling the arrival of an anti-aircraft frigate to support allied operations in the Persian Gulf. The Rafales arrived on October 5th, along with 30 additional personnel, and the Cassard-class frigate FS Jean Bart set sail for the Gulf the following day. On October 27th, a French Air Force reportedly flew a mission over Iraq with a Boeing E-3F Sentry AWACS aircraft. The aircraft, capable of commanding and dispatching vast numbers of aircraft over an incredibly long distance, flew approximately nine missions before being withdrawn, with each mission lasting an average of nine hours. The vessel FS Jean Bart joined up with the American carrier battle group, Task Force 50, centered around the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, on October 28th.
Dassault Mirage 2000D landing in Jordan
On November 21st, French authorities announced the impending deployment of Dassault Mirage 2000D aircraft to Jordan to support operations against Daesh. That same day, France’s Atlantique 2 aircraft coordinated a joint strike against Daesh between American and Danish F-16 aircraft. A few days later, on the 28th, three French Air Force Mirage 2000D aircraft lifted off from Nancy-Ochey and, after being refueled twice by a C-135, touched down in Jordan. Simultaneously the transport barge Siroco docked in Aqaba, Jordan, to deliver equipment to support the Mirage aircraft.
FS Jean Bart alongside escorting the American aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson
French aircraft continued carrying out missions throughout the end of November and into December. On December 17th, French forces were augmented with three more Mirage 2000Ds, which arrived after a five-hour flight. In early January it was announced that French forces would be bolstered by the aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle and its air wing in the coming months. French forces were further augmented on January 29th, 2015, with three additional Rafales arriving to assist French operations. That same day, the Jean Bart set sail for France, departing TF50. The force now comprised of: nine Dassault Rafales, three Dassault Mirage 2000Ds, one Atlantique 2, one C-135, one E-3F Sentry, and associated ground forces.
The de Gaulle’s carrier battle group
The arrival of the de Gaulle‘s flight group and supporting vessels had a significant impact on French military operations against Daesh. The morning of February 25th saw the first strike mission launched from the de Gaulle, two Dassault Rafale M carrier-based fighter aircraft, which struck a Daesh training camp in Iraq. The de Gaulle was equipped for this voyage with twelve Dassault Rafale Ms, nine Dassault Super Etendards, and one E-2 Hawkeye. Escorting the carrier was the Horizon-class air defense frigate FS Chevalier Paul, the British Type 23 (Duke-class) anti-submarine frigate HMS Kent, the Durance-class tanker FS Meuse, and an unnamed Rubis-class nuclear attack submarine. The carrier was on-station for eight weeks of intense air operations, with 10-15 sorties being launched per day. Together with the aforementioned battle group (Minus HMS Kent, which had been replaced by the French frigate Jean de Vienne, the de Gaulle departed the area of operations and crossed through the Strait of Hormuz on April 18th.
French Atlantique 2 ISR aircraft preparing for a mission over Iraq
By early May, the French force in the area of operations consisted of six Rafales, six Mirage 2000Ds, an E-3F Sentry AWACS aircraft, and an Atlantique 2. These aircraft continued launching strikes against Daesh in support of the Iraqi military throughout the spring of 2015. On April 26th, French aircraft launched their 150th strike mission. The E-3 returned to France on June 11th, leaving the Atlantique as the sole support aircraft (and that aircraft was replaced by a fresh aircraft and crew on June 30th).
On July 6th, 2015, at 5:30 PM, French Air Force A400M serial numbered MSN19 touched down at Mowaffaq Salti Air Base (also known as Al Azraq Air Base or BAP) in Al Azraq, Jordan. The aircraft was carrying equipment for the Chammal mission, in particular for the Mirage 2000Ds, which were scheduled to be moved to BAP. On July 17th, two Mirage 2000D fighters, along with an Atlantique 2, lifted off on a routine recon mission over Iraq. This mission marked the 1,000th mission launched by French forces since September 19th, 2014. On July 31st, three Mirage 2000Ds lifted off from BAP and returned to their home airfield in France. Simultaneously they were replaced by three Mirage 2000Ns from the 2/4 fighter squadron.
Starting on September 8th, 2015, almost a year after France had begun its operations in Iraq, a flight of Rafales took off from Jordan and headed over Syrian airspace, marking the first time French aircraft had shifted from Iraq to Syria. Then, just a few weeks later, on September 27th, five French Air Force Rafales, accompanied by one Atlantique 2 ISR aircraft and one C-135 tanker, lifted off and arced over Syria. Their target was a training camp south of Deir ez-Zor, and was confirmed as a valid target by several sources. Around 6:30 am Paris-time, the strike began. It lasted around five hours and saw the target completely destroyed.
French Rafale returns to the Charles de Gaulle after a mission
FS Cassard, a Cassard-class anti-aircraft frigate, crossed through the Strait of Hormuz on September 24th, 2015, and joined up with the USS Theodore Roosevelt‘s task force the following day. Following the Cassard nearly a month later, on November 18th the Charles de Gaulle‘s carrier battle group again set sail for operations against Daesh in the Middle East. The group consisted of the following:
FS Charles de Gaulle (Aircraft Carrier)
- x18 Dassault Rafale M
- x8 Super Etendard
- x2 E-2C Hawkeye
- x2 Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin
- x1 Aérospatiale Alouette III
- FS Chevalier Paul (Horizon-class frigate)
- x1 NHIndustries NH90 Caiman
- FS La Motte Piquet ( Georges Leygues-class frigate)
- x1 Westland Lynx
- FS Marne (Durance-class tanker)
- x1 Aérospatiale Alouette III
HMS Defender (Daring-class destroyer)
- x1 Westland Lynx
- x1 AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin
BNS Leopold I (Karel Doorman-class frigate)
- x1 Aérospatiale Alouette III
Thus, the carrier battle group brought to bear significant reinforcements for the French forces in the theater of operations. On November 23rd, the first aircraft from the de Gaulle conducted an armed reconnaissance mission over Iraq, primarily in Ramadi and Mosul. Two aircraft (Rafale Ms) acted in the reconnaissance role, while two others conducted strikes. The strikes in Ramadi killed a number of Daesh insurgents, and in Mosul destroyed an artillery position that was shelling Iraqi forces.
This is part one of a two-part series. Part two will be uploaded shortly.
