What's up at home today...?

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Minister of Defence, Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, chaired yesterday over Lanester, the ceremony of delivery of the pennant to the Commando Ponchardier, 7th unit of Commandos Marine, the creation of which was registered in the LPM (Law of Military Programming).

Lanester is the city situated on the left bank of Scorff river. She accommodates a part of the Navy dockyard and the DCNS facilities and also our local Hereford, the base of the Commandos Marine.


The Commandos Marine counted up to here 6 units:

Commando Jaubert and Commando Trépel : Sea assault, maritime counter-terrorism, liberation of hostages.
Commando de Montfort : Long range neutralisation and sniping, antitank missiles.
Commando de Penfentenyo : Recon, intelligence gathering.
Commando Hubert : Combat divers, underwater actions. Based in Toulon, Hubert is considered as the elite of the Commandos Marine.
Commando Kieffer : Created in 2008, Kieffer is specialized in high-end technologies, war computing, CBRN survey.

The 7th Commando Ponchardier is a unit of support for the others Commandos, providing assistance, equipments and reinforcements.


Mr. Le Drian stated: " You are the heirs of a great history, begun on June 6th, 1944, on the Sword beach, in Normandy, where landed the Kieffer commando squad. These 177 men were the pioneers of a prestigious force, which continues, 70 years later, to arouse the respect of all ".


Well, of all, I don’t know but, mine, certainly yes.

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This also must be said, about French special forces.


A long time ago, i already pointed out in posts as here (#78) or here (#604), the alarming situation of the ALAT, my weapon when i was a soldier. The fact is that, over the past three decades, French governments asked ALAT growing commitment, effort and intervention in conflicts where these governments decided to intervene, particularly regarding conflicts said "asymmetrical" in Africa and the Middle East. The fact is also that the means these governments gave to the ALAT are far from sufficient to cover the needs for renewal of equipment, operational maintenance or projection capability.

I believe that we reach the bottom here, with this official market of the BOAMP . The French government, through the Ministry of Defence, is reduced to appeal to a private company to provide training helicopter for the 4th RHFS and 5th RHC. In French army, a RHC as the 5th is a conventional combat unit, against the 4th RHFS is nothing other than the Special Forces Helicopter Regiment, single unit, dependent on the COS and responsible for the delivery of Special Forces men and equipments throughout the world. I concluded, avoiding jargon, this regiment, as it stands, has simply no more the specific intrinsic abilities to fulfill its tasks. That's where we are.

But don’t worry, it’s customary to say that the French army is an army that adapts well to a so called "rusticity", and after all, the presidential Puma has not crashed yet, isn’t it …?

Are they crazy? I read something that they will start operations against Isis? Don't they
need these beautiful things:

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Well Snow, maybe you didn't think to hit the point this way, because the fact is that, somewhere, yes we don’t need Gazelle anymore. This machine is from my generation, she was pretty good in the 80’s and 90’s, equipped with HOT anti tank missiles, behind the already finishing Alouette III – SS 11 anti tank missile, which was the machine my unit, the 3rd EHA, had in dotation for a squadron of 8 machines. About tactical transport it’s the same: The Puma is agonising the Super Puma gave him maybe some time more but we are in 2015. Three years ago, in Mali, the first French casualty was Lieutenant Damien Boiteux, pilot at the 4th RHFS . He was hit by a hand weapon, AK47 or similar, because Gazelle doesn’t provides enough protection. He should have a Tigre, not a Gazelle. Gazelle is a beautiful but old lady. The fact is that ALAT doesn’t have enough machines and doesn’t have enough modern machines for dealing with the French government’s wills, that’s my opinion and i’m afraid i’m not so wrong considering such a private contract.


EDIT : That said, this video is always so pretty

You people are crazy. If I had money to buy them, I would do that. They are made for hit and run operations.
It can carry up to 3 passengers, so... you know what that means. I love the Huey the most so that explains
my passion for the classic stuff

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Lol Snow, so you got the answer to your question "Are they crazy" ? They aren't, we are ...