Britain to help the French with Transport
 

Sky

Good to see that the spare capacity the RAF AT fleet has being used at last....

N4

Agreed on the cynical question of what is available, but in principle this is exactly the sort of thing that we should be encouraging.

S41

And RIP Damien Boiteux, the French pilot killed yesterday in Mali.

Britain to send aircraft to Mali to assist French fight against rebels | World news | The Observer

S41

Are they sending Herc, or Voyager?

Will the French be our friends after this?


OAP

No good deed ever goes unpunished.....

How many euros is this worth?

Squirrel -quite right but they are a slippery slimy bunch.
As an aside virtually no British goods in their shops in Paris this week, especially fresh goods. It seems they would rather eat crappy meat than
buy overseas ie from us in the UK. Very protectionist as a nation so I hope
they might remember this military help. Hope springs eternal.

A day trip for a C-17 surely!

THAT's why we are buying another C-17.....................

Seems that it's not just the RAF being invited. The WSJ reports that

They didn't the last two times!!!

Maybe someone in Whitehall is getting nervous about the prospects for 'borrowing' a French carrier (should it ever be needed, of course - cannot think of any reason at the moment.............)

Exactly HOW MANY troops are they going to send in that they cannot provide their own transport?http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...s/confused.gif

Well if you're expecting marching bands parading up and down the streets of Paris singing "God Bless America" every July 4 forget it.

OTOH around France there are still many small acts of rememberance to their Allies... such as this:

It seems more likely that the C-17 will carry the various "outsize" equipment loads that can't go on the smaller transports. France is fairly poorly served for airlift with the C-130 being the largest ramp fitted aircraft, thus their order for 50 ish A400M.

Had the A400 been on time they probably wouldn't need the C-17.

RAF C17 to help French in Mali
 

I see on another thread that apparently another C17 is arriving.
Perhaps that's where this one is going, but pardon my temerity, why use a C17 which I understand are practically committed round the clock in Afghan?

It's about time the Powers that Be accept we are no longer the world's policeman able to send a gunboat (or C17) anywhere at the drop of a hat.

Our boys first, please!

On the other hand, instability in Mali will potentially affect all nations. Alright, many nations. It's not just the French that should be concerned. In fact I would say 'well done' to them for stepping up to the plate (as they did very quickly in Libya).

So it's not surprising that UK and USA are offering help, even if we aren't actually putting troops on the ground.

Flying for the French
 

On the other hand flying to Mali will, no doubt, make a pleasant change from UK _ Afghanistan. It is an interesting country especially out in the desert although I doubt our aircraft will get there as that is where the rebels are. Probably Bamako will be the nearest to any action.

Many, many moons ago we did famine relief into Mali to places such as Nioro, Kayes and Timbuctou. One crew had to night stop at Timboctou because a battery failure meant they were unable to start the GTC. It was not too bad until the roof of the "hotel" fell in in the middle of the night. The rest of the time we were greeted by convicts to do the unloading - all glowing skin and enormous grins, especially when unloading flour.

My local supermarket in France has a whole section devoted to British "delicacies". I can buy Heinz baked beans, Hobnobs, PG Tips, marmite, Jacobs cream crackers.

Also, doesn't the Aeronavale currently do our maritime surveillance for us?

So, when we need assistance plugging our gaping MPA gap perhaps the French will say 'NON' if we took that attitude?? :hmm:

Being able to help our allies and vice versa is one of the strengths of today's Armed Forces, politics aside.

(PS 99 Sqn are indeed busy people but they are not "commited round the clock in Afghan" these days.)