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Naval Forces News - France |
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Coalition
Assigns French Navy ATL 2 Maritime Patrol Aircraft Broader Tasks over
Iraq |
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On
21 November 2014, a French Navy Atlantique 2 (ATL2) Maritime Patrol
Aircraft (MPA) conducted its first SCAR-C (Strike and Reconnaissance
Coordination - Coordinator) flight over Iraq. The ATL2 with its FAC-A
(Forward Air Controller Airborne) was appointed commander of an Air
Interdiction mission consisting in two patrols (US Air Froce and Danish
Air Force F-16s). This capability was already proven in combat during
Harmattan and Serval operations.
For this first mission over Iraq, the FAC-A coordinated action of the
ATL2, coalition warplanes and JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller)
CAOC (Combined Air and space Operation Center) based in Qatar in order
to detect, identify and strike any target of opportunity.
Complementing the ISR missions (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance)
since the beginning of the Shamal operation, the ATL2 was given SCAR-C
mission roles and should regularly be given this type of assignement
by CAOC. Personnel of the Chammal Force carry out their ISR missions
on a daily basis in support of Iraqi troops on the ground. |
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French Navy ATL2 are currently being upgraded with new sensors and computers
that will significantly improve their ISR ability. Picture:
French Navy
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Deployed in the Persian Gulf since early September, French Navy's Atlantique
2 (ATL2) maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) belonging to naval air squadron
23F are currently deployed to Al Dhafra air base in the United Arab
Emirates. On Sept 17, it flew its first reconnaissance mission in Iraqi
airspace and on the 19th it provided ISTAR (Intelligence, surveillance,
target acquisition, and reconnaissance) support for the first French
raid against ISIL and then povided damage assessment reports.
The ATL2 is a multirole aircraft developed for air-sea operations whose
initial version dates back to the 1990s. This aircraft is characterized
by its broad interoperability with other services and allied forces,
and its versatility of use make it an outstanding military asset that
is regularly engaged in combat missions as well as public service missions
at sea. Developped for aero-maritime superiority missions, anti-submarine
and anti-surface warfare, its capabilities may also be used over land,
where it operates regularly in support of French ground forces and special
forces.
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