The
Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) procurement
rejected the first delivery of four simulator units, the
service said. One of the simulators was damaged in transit
and the others were deemed to be not in good condition,
having being drawn from old U.S. Army stock.
Initial
training of 23 Javelin instructors started Dec. 6 at Draguignon
and will wrap up Dec. 17, the Army said.
The
date for deployment of the Javelins has not yet been set,
said Army Col. Thierry Burkhard, spokesman for the Joint
Chief of Staff. Troop training and maintenance support
in the field are key factors that will decide when the
missiles can be sent to Afghanistan, he said.
There
has been talk of April, when the next battalion is sent
to relieve the present task force unit.
France
bought the missile as an interim solution to fill the
need for a fire-and-forget weapon to respond to Afghan
insurgents firing from the protection of thick stone walls
of houses and compounds.
