My publications in June 2018

Dans son numéro Hors-Série du mois de juin spécial Eurosatory, DSI Magazine publie mon dernier papier qui dresse une cartographie des forces terrestres de l'Armée National Libyenne du Maréchal Khalifa Haftar constituée d’un regroupement de milices autour d’un noyau d’armée régulière représentant une force de 25 000 hommes environs et ne formant pas un bloc solide et cohérent. Côté historique, Avions de Combat publie un récit concernant l'Opération Mount Hope au Tchad en 1988 qui avait pour but la récupération d'un hélicoptère de combat Mil Mi-25 abandonné par les forces libyennes sur la base de Ouadi-Doum.

In its June Special issue dedicated to Eurosatory, DSI Magazine publishes my latest article which draws a map of the ground forces of the Libyan National Army led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar, consisting of a group of militia around a regular army nucleus representing a force of about 25,000 men and not forming a solid and coherent block. On the historical side, Avions de Combat publishes a story about Operation Mount Hope in Chad in 1988 aimed at recovering a Mil Mi-25 combat helicopter abandoned by Libyan forces at the Ouadi-Doum base.

My publication in May 2018

Dans son n°135 du mois de mai, DSI Magazine publie mon dernier papier qui dresse un état des lieux des forces aériennes des pays du G5 Sahel - le Burkina Faso, le Mali, la Mauritanie, le Niger et le Tchad - notamment les moyens ISR, la force de frappe, le transport/liaison/reconnaissance ainsi que leur engagement au combat depuis 2015. In its May issue, DSI Magazine publishes my latest article which draws up an inventory of the air forces of the G5 Sahel countries - Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad - in particular ISR means, the strike force, the transport / liaison / reconnaissance as well as their engagement in combat since 2015.

American Rushes to Help After a Storm Nearly Wipes Out the Chadian Air Force

On July 1, 2017, severe wind and heavy rain inflicted significant damage to a large number of Chadian air force aircraft stationed at N’Djamena air base. Three of the air force’s six Fennec helicopters and several hangars were seriously damaged or even totally destroyed.

Less severe damage was observed on at least one MiG-29, one PC-12 and two Su-25s that were struck by debris as hangars collapsed over them.

These losses represented a major blow to Chad’s campaign against the Boko Haram militant group. Recognizing this, the U.S. military rushed to help the Chadians rebuild.

American Rushes to Help After a Storm Nearly Wipes Out the Chadian Air Force - U.S. airmen build shelters, train Chadians on new planes

30 years ago, French and American Scooped Up Soviet Weapons in Chad

During the so-called Toyota War in 1987, forces loyal to Chadian president Hissene Habre fought the Libyan army … and won.

In early January 1987, Chadian troops carried out a devastating attack on the city of Fada, killing 784 Libyan troops and capturing six SF.260 light strike planes, one Mi-25 gunship, 13 T-55 tanks, 118 BMP-1 armored vehicles, one P-15/Flat Face radar and 81 soldiers. In addition, the Chadians shot down a Mi-25 on Jan. 4 and a MiG-23 on Jan. 5.

All that captured equipment represented a potential intelligence boon for the United States. As the fighting died down, the Pentagon went shopping in Chad.

The Pentagon Scooped Up Soviet Weapons in Chad in 1987 and ’88 - Libya left behind missiles, jets and helicopters

Nigeria and Allies Launch a Major Attack on Boko Haram

On Jan. 14, 2018, Boko Haram – an Islamist group from northeast Nigeria led by jihadist leader Abubakar Shekau – released a video depicting the remains of a Nigerian air force Mi-171 helicopter the group claimed it shot down.

The alleged shoot-down occurred amid an intensive new offensive targeting the group. On Jan. 8, Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon launched an operation aimed at two Boko Haram factions in the group’s Nigeria stronghold. The day the operation began, another Mi-17 crashed during a mission in northeast Nigeria.

Nigeria has battled Boko Haram since 2011. Cameroon, too, has fought the group for years. In mid-January 2015, the Chadian National Assembly approved Pres. Idris Déby’s request to deploy soldiers to support Cameroon.

Nigeria and Allies Launch a Major Attack on Boko Haram - Multiple aircraft losses reported amid intensive air support

A U.S. Air Force C-141 Almost Got Itself Shot Down Over Chad

During France’s intervention in the Chad-Libya war in 1987, the French restricted air traffic over Chad. No aerial traffic was allowed in an area that extended from the 16th parallel to the outskirts of the capital N’Djamena.

Civilian pilots didn’t always respect these air-traffic measures, especially as civil flights that sought to save fuel by cutting through the forbidden zone.

It was dangerous air space. Over the summer of 1987, Libyan Tu-22s and Il-76 cargo planes acting as bombers struck several towns near the 16th parallel, in particular Faya-Largeau. The Il-76s dropped dozens of pallets of bombs on a palm grove near the town, killing several local people.

On Sept. 7, 1987, French troops fired a HAWK missile and shot down a Libyan Tu-22 bomber over N’Djamena. Two days later, an unknown aircraft flew over Chad toward the capital. It was flying at subsonic speed and not responding to radio calls.

A U.S. Air Force C-141 Almost Got Itself Shot Down Over Chad - 1987 was a stressful year over Central Africa

What did the French shoot down over Chad in July 1988 ?

After years of conflict, on Sept. 10, 1987, Chad and Libya agreed to a ceasefire the next day at noon. However, Libyan air patrols continued. Indeed, Muammar Gaddafi seemed to believe any military action short of an actual attack was acceptable.

Not coincidentally, in October the United States handed over the first Stinger missiles to the armed forces of Chad. On Oct. 8, the Chadians shot down a Libyan Su-22 and a MiG-23.

In March 1988, French forces in Chad were on alert. Intelligence had warned of  significant troop movements in southern Libya. France added defenses to air bases at Timou, Tanoua and Maaten-es-Sara to make them less vulnerable to Chadian raids.

But the Libyans didn’t attack.

The Ghost Plane of Faya-Largeau - What did the French shoot down over Chad in July 1988 ?

French Fighter Jets Spent 1986 and ’87 Chasing Libyans Over Chad

In mid-February 1986, French forces launched Operation Épervier — France’s intervention in the Libya-Chad war. The French air force deployed to Chad’s capital N’Djamena around a dozen Jaguar A fighter-bombers and up to six Mirage F.1C interceptors from various units along with a few Mirage F.1CR tactical reconnaissance fighters.

The warplanes spent months chasing away Libyan planes and, more than once, came close to shooting them down.

French Fighters Spent 1986 and ’87 Chasing Libyans Over Chad - Lots of intercepts, no shoot-downs

In 1986, French Troops in Chad Faced Mysterious Attackers

On its arrival in Chad as part of Operation Épervier, France’s intervention in the Chad-Libya war, the French military set up a radar center in the town of Moussoro, north of the capital N’Djamena starting in mid-February 1986.

The radar would become the apparent target of a mysterious raiding force … and the object of a determined French defense.

The 120-mile range SNERI Centaure radar was operated by the air force and protected by infantry from the 2e REI marine infantry regiment plus a Stinger surface-to-air missile team from the 1e REI.

In 1986, French Troops in Chad Faced Mysterious Attackers - Who were the ghosts of Moussoro ?

One of the first African Mirage 5 pilots made his ultimate flight

Famous Congolese pilot Col. Jean Louis M’pele M’pele (on the left on the photo above), who flew for the Zairian air force, passed away on Nov. 12, 2017. M’pele was one of the first African pilots to fly the French-made Dassault Mirage 5.

Zaire, now called Democratic Republic of Congo, was only the second country in Africa – after South Africa with the Mirage III – to purchase the Dassault delta-wing fighter jet. But the Mach-two plane wasn’t well-suited to the Central African theater and its weather, and never really met Zaire’s needs.

Jean Louis M’pele M’pele Flew Congo’s Hot-Rod French Fighter

My publication for October 2017

In October issue (No. 355) of Air Force Monthly magazines, I published my fourth contribution to the "Flashpoint" series of short reports : "Tough times for Chadian Air Force", the reborn of Chadian Air Force and its involvement in the war against Boko Haram until a storm damaged most of CAF fleet last July.

My publication in September 2017

En septembre, je contribue au n°131 du magazine "Défense & Sécurité International" avec un article sur les "Opérations aériennes/contre-aériennes françaises contre la Libye dans les années 80" au Tchad et en Méditerranée.

In September, I have contributed to Issue No. 131 of "Défense & Sécurité International" magazine with an article about the "French aerial operations against Libya in the 1980s" in Chad and the Mediterranean sea.

My publication for summer 2017

This summer, two of my stories are published in issue 20 of The Aviation Historian magazine and september issue of Air Forces Monthly. First one is the story of the Libyan Tu-22s "Blinder" engaged in Chad against Chadian and French written in collaboration with my colleague Tom Cooper. Two of them were lost during the air raids against N'Djamena in 1986 and 1987. The second article (Flaspoint) establishes an assessment of the air war in Yemen since March 2015.

Libyan Air Wars Part.2 : 1985-1986

Africa@War 21: Libyan Air Wars Part 2: 1985-1986

While the first volume in this mini-series spanned the first decade of confrontations between Libya, several of its neighbours but foremost the USA and France, between 1973 and 1985, the second is to cover the period of less than a year – between mid-1985 and March 1986, when this confrontation reached its first climax.

Libyan Air Wars Part 1 : 1973-1985

In January 2015 will be published the first volume of the series "Libyan Air Wars" which I am the co-author with Tom Cooper and Albert Grandolini. This publication has been postponed several times, but this time, it's good! This series of three books of 80 pages mention all the conflicts which the Libyan air force was involved: the Libyan-Egyptian War in 1977, the Chadian civil war against Chad and France from 1968 to 1987 and of course, the dogfights of the F-14 Tomcat in the Gulf of Sidra in 1981, 1986 and 1989. on this occasion, I created the Facebook page Libyan Air Wars which I will regularly post information including photos, videos, documents.