Opération Baliste

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Opération Baliste is the codename for the French aeronaval operation off Lebanon aiming at securing citizens of the European Union, since July 2006, in the context of the 2006 Lebanon War.

Contents 1 Components 2 History 3 Notes 4 External links

[edit] Components

Opération Baliste employs 1,700 men under contre-amiral Xavier Magne. The operation is threefold :

• an aerial transport group, composed with one Transall C-160 and 3 Eurocopter Cougar
• a tactical group of the French Army, including motorised infantry, engineering, ALAT and light armours
• an amphibious naval group composed with the amphibious operation ships Mistral and Siroco, and the frigates Jean Bart and Jean de Vienne. The group has hospital capabilities, combat helicopters, transport helicopters, and landing crafts.

[edit] History

On 18 August 2006, 14,500 people had been evacuated (including 11,300 French citizens).

On 20 August, the TCD Foudre and the frigate Cassard sailed from Toulon to join the theatre and convoy elements from the 2nd and 13th Regiments of Engineering, as well as over 100 engineering vehicles for the UNIFIL

On 3 October, an Israeli fighter penetrated the 2-nautical mile defence perimeter of the stealth frigate Courbet, triggering a diplomatic incident. Israel apologised after official protests from the French government [1].

[edit] Notes

The codename refers to the Triggerfish (and not the ancient weapon ballista, as sometimes misunderstood).

[edit] External links

• Frence Defence Ministry
• (French) L'opération BALISTE ancienscolbleus.forumactif.com, site for former French sailors ; lots of photographs.
• (French) corlobe.tk