France

French commitment to counter terrorism and to the Coalition / Historical perspective

The French commitment to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) has been strong and resolute from the beginning of the operation.

The French liaison team to HQ USCENTCOM was established on 10 October 2001 to coordinate all matters/issues related to the French contribution to OEF.

On 18 October 2001, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1378 was issued and French forces were sent into Afghanistan. Since October 21, French reconnaissance aircraft and air tankers have contributed to the air campaign. French troops were deployed on the ground as early as 2 December 2001, securing Mazar-e-Sharif. The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (CVN CDG) and her escort operated in the Indian Ocean as soon as December 2001 launching air strikes on Taliban positions in Afghanistan. The ‘Air’ component was reinforced at the beginning of 2002 by French Air Force transport planes and fighters. Indeed, France was the first country, along with the United States, to have flown bombing missions over Afghanistan in direct support of American and Coalition ground troops. Since then, several tours have been completed by both Air Force and Navy air assets in support of OEF. From 2001 to 2006, Special Forces troops fought against the remnants of the Taliban by conducting armed reconnaissance in the South of Afghanistan.

When NATO came to Afghanistan, French Forces were put under ISAF control and in 2004, French Lt.Gen PY was the ISAF Commander.

ISAF/OEF French contribution: current strength and forces layout

3,300 French Military are currently deployed in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and the Indian Ocean; either in ISAF or in OEF Operations. Among them, 2,700 are on the Afghan territory and 300 in the Maritime Component in TF 150 and TF 57.Specific emphasis is put on the training of the Afghan National Army (ANA), with 350 French Military in charge of Afghan Officers basic training (Operation Epidote) and Afghan Special Forces basic courses (Afghan Commando School), or embedded in Afghan Units (OMLT, Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team). France has chosen not to set up Provincial Reconstruction Teams.

ISAF - Regional Command Capital (RC-C) in Kabul
On August 6, 2008, French Brigadier General Michel Stollsteiner took over from Italian Brigadier General Federico Bonato at the head of RC-C Kabul, one of the 5 ISAF Regional Commands in Afghanistan.It is the second time that France takes over this command, which is assumed in turn by France, Turkey, and Italy. France already commanded RC-C from April 2006 to August 2007. RC-C has 3 ‘Battle Groups’ (BG) (French, Turkish, and Italian). The Italian BG is in charge of Sector West, Turkish BG Sector South, French BG Sector North and Surobi CJOA (with the command of RC-C comes the responsibility of an additional area, the Eastern part of RC-C, named Combined Joint Operation Area (CJOA) covering the SUROBI District). France has reinforced its operation in RC-C with 400 military to assume its missions on all the areas under its responsibility, plus the command of RC-C and coordination with Italian and Turk contingents in RC-C. The French contingent was also reinforced in its Command and Support component to take into account the various locations where French Forces are now deployed in Afghanistan (RC-C Kabul, RC-C Surobi, RC-East Kapisa, RC-South Kandahar, and RC-South Oruzgan). A ‘Command and Support Battalion’ (BCS) was formed. It is in charge of coordinating logistic support to the French Units inside the Theater of Operations, and it also includes the Medical Detachment in RC-C.

French contingent layout in RC-C

The French contingent in RC-C, with strength of 1 450 French Military, comprises of the following: - The core of RC-C HQ, commanded by General Stollsteiner since August 2008, coordinating the operations of French, Turkish and Italian contingents; and planning the ‘afghanisation’ of Kabul City security, which means transferring it over to Afghan Security Forces. 80 French Military serve in HQ RC-C. - French BG (BATFRA), 600-strong, conducting stabilization and security operations in its AORs. BATFRA conducts prevention and deterrence missions, with daily patrols, by foot and by vehicles, in contact with the Afghan people, holding check-points in conjunction with Afghan Police, monitoring the surroundings of sensitive areas such as Kabul Airport.BATFRA also contributes to the security of the Afghan population in recovering and neutralizing unexploded ordnance, such as shells and mines. In Surobi district, BATFRA combat units operate from FOB Tora.

BATFRA main equipement are :·
Wheeled APCs VAB (Véhicule de l’Avant Blindé)·
Wheeled Light Recce Vehicles VBL (Véhicule Blindé Léger)·
120 mm Heavy Mortars

Combat Service Support Battalion (BCS), 500-strong, conducting logistics operations to support BATFRA and other French units operating outside Kabul (French BG Task Force Kapisa, OMLTs). The Medical Detachment manning ‘Role two’ in RC-C is attached to the BCS. They deliver surgical and medical treatments for Coalition troops and Afghan Military as well as the Afghan people. - Helicopter Detachment, currently equipped with 2 x French Air Force EC-725 ‘CARACAL’ helicopters, carrying out troops transportation and medical/sanitary evacuation for the Coalition. Helicopter Detachment strength is 45.

ISAF - Regional Command East (RC-E)
French BG Task Force Kapisa (‘Groupement Tactique InterArmes Kapisa’ = GTIA Kapisa) French BG TF Kapisa ‘GTIA Kapisa’, 650-strong, is deployed in RC-East, in the Kapisa province, and conducts security operations along with ANA from FOB Nijrab and FOB Tagab. 100 additional French Military are detached to BCS in Kabul to support them.

BG TF Kapisa main equipment are:·
Wheeled APCs VAB ·
Recce Light Tanks AMX 10 RC·
120 mm Heavy Mortars

BG TF Kapisa is under the command of RC-East, currently commanded by US General Schloesser.It carries out Area Control missions with Afghan National Army.

Uprising of the Afghan National Army
France is significantly committed in assisting the uprising of the Afghan National Army, with 350 French Military instructors/ mentors in charge of training Afghan Officers, Afghan Special Forces, or mentoring Afghan Units. They are working through three different structures: Operation Epidote, the Afghan Commando School, and OMLTs (Operational Mentor and Liaison Team).

Operation Epidote
Since February 2003, the Operation Epidote detachment has been training Afghan Officers. With a 35-strong French Military detachment, they are conducting:- Assistance to Officers Basic Training (Platoon leader and Company Commander courses), and for Staff Officers;- Specialized Training, with ‘Operational Training Detachments’ (Détachements d’Instruction Opérationnelle – DIO) for Afghan Officers in the fields of Intelligence and of Administration. More than 5000 Afghan Officers were trained through Operation Epidote. In 2002, Operation Epidote French Military had trained 3 out of the first 6 Infantry Battalions (Officers, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted) from the 2 Light Brigades of Kabul Central Corps (CCK).

Afghan Special Forces Training
Together with US and Afghan instructors, the mission of the 20-strong French Special Operations Forces (SOF) instructors is to train 6 ANA Special Forces Commando Battalions (Kandak).First, side by side with 20 US trainers, French SOF trained 100 Afghan SOF ‘leaders’. Then Kandak training started mid May 08, with 3 month-courses, 700 Afghan SOF attending each course. So far, 2 Afghan SOF Kandaks have completed training, a third Kandak is under training.

ISAF - Operational Mentor and Liaison Team (OMLT)
OMLTs are embedded in Afghan National Army combat units, accompanying and advising them in every mission. 300 French Military work with ANA in 6 OMLTs. OMLT missions are to:- advise Afghan Military to develop basic and advanced training;- advise Afghan Military to plan and then conduct operations, - when required, provide them with Coalition Close Air and Artillery Support - facilitate coordination between ANA and ISAF. Since August 2006, French OMLTs are attached to the 201st Afghan Corps. 230 French Military Mentors in 5 OMLTs are embedded into the Corps HQ, the 1rst Brigade HQ and the 1st Brigade Kandaks (2 infantry, 1 combat support, 1 combat service support). Since August 2008, one 70-strong French OMLT is deployed in RC-South with the Dutch Contingent in Uruzgan Province. This Team operates from FOB Tarin Kwot and FOB Deh Rawod.

Air Support
Since October 2001, France provides Air Support to OEF to the FIAS Operations. This support includes Close Air Support, Reconnaissance, Transport, and In-Flight Refueling. 450 French Military are involved in Air Support. French aircrafts operate from Kandahar (Afghanistan), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), and Manas (Kyrgyzstan). The 6 x Combat Aircraft which were operating from Dushanbe (Tajikistan) were redeployed in September/October 2007 in Afghanistan on Kandahar NATO Air Base where Mirage 2000D, Rafale and Navy Super Etendard Block 5 are now rotating on a regular basis. 170 French Military are stationed in Kandahar AB. For Transport, 2 x C160 ‘Transal’ reinforced with 1 x C130 ‘Hercules’ operate from Dushanbe (Tajikistan) for tactical airlift in the Theater of Operations. They contribute to the mobility of Coalition Forces and conduct Humanitarian Operations. 230 French Military are stationed in Dushanbe. For In-Flight Air Refueling, 1 x C135 Tanker based in Manas (Kyrgyzstan) refuels all Coalition aircrafts. 40 French Military are stationed in Manas. On 4 occasions these permanently deployed assets were reinforced by the Naval Air Group operating from the French Carrier ‘Charles de Gaulle’ (CVN CDG) cruising in the North of Indian Ocean. Thus, in March-April 2007 the CVN CDG’s 28 Rafale and Super Etendard participated in air operations over Afghanistan while E2-C Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning took part into the tactical coordination of Air Operations in Afghan airspace.

Task Force 150 and Task Force 57
The mission of the Maritime Component of Enduring Freedom Operation (TF 150 and TF 57) is to control the air and sea in the North of Indian Ocean (Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea) to forbid any terrorist movement between Afghanistan and Arabic Peninsula or Horn of Africa, to oppose illicit trafficking (weapons, narcotics), to oppose piracy and robbery, and to protect offshore oil installations. Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) are conducted with the Navies and Coast Guards of the neighboring countries (Theater Security Cooperation –TSC). Since the creation of TF 150, just after the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks, France took charge 5 times of the command of TF 150, conducting a sustained and permanent involvement against terrorism. Two French Ships are permanently operating within TF 150. France also takes part into TF 57 with one MPRA ‘Atlantique 2’ based in Djibouti. 300 French Military operate in TF 150 and TF 57.

Support to Operation Iraqi Freedom

France is not part of OIF.

Humanitarian Support to the people of Afghanistan/Iraq

The French Aid is channeled through European Union programs (ECHO, European Commission Delegations in Afghanistan and in Iraq), and through the French Embassies in Afghanistan and in Iraq.