Breaking news
France Will Start Reconnaissance Flights Above Syria & is Considering Strikes Against Islamic State.
| 2015
|
|
|||
|
Defence & Security News - France
|
|||
|
|
|||
| France Will Start Reconnaissance Flights Above Syria & is Considering Strikes Against Islamic State | |||
|
President Francois Hollande declared today that France will begin reconnaissance missions over Syria tomorrow and is considering launching air strikes against Islamic State militants in the country. So far, the French military was conducting flights above Iraq exclusively as part of Operation Chammal (name of the French military operationin Iraq against ISIL).
|
|||
|
|
|||
 Rafale multi-role fighters fitted with laser guided bombs and designation pod flying above Iraq. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
"We have proof that attacks have been planned from Syria against several countries, notably France," Hollande said during a press conference.
"My responsibility is to ensure that we are informed as much as possible on the threats to our country ... so I have asked the defense minister that from tomorrow reconnaissance flights begin over Syria that will enable us to consider air strikes against the Islamic State." President Hollande stressed however that this move was not some kind of support to the Assad regime: "In Syria, the solution can not pass by keeping Bashar al-Assad (in power). He must go." Opération Chammal started on September 19 2014 and is the French participation in Operation Inherent Resolve launched by the USA and in which various coalition countries are taking part. Several assets take part in Operation Chammal including 6 Dassault Rafale fighters and 1 Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft stationed in the United Arab Emirates as well as 6 Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters stationed in Jordan. |
|||
U.S. Army and U.S. Navy Award Lockheed Martin $66 Million Contract for Joint Air-to-Ground Missile