On March 26, Blue Cedar, bilateral amphibious exercise organized by France and Lebanon, was held in the bay of Jounieh north of Beirut. As a sign of the French commitment for defense cooperation with Lebanon Cedar Blue was conducted for the second consecutive year jointly by the Lebanese Armed Forces and the French amphibious group deployed within the Jeanne d’Arc mission.
The Lebanese Armed Forces engaged a mechanized section equipped with M113 APCs, two airborne infantry platoons along with three UH-1H and two Gazelle helicopters, two EDIC landing craft and fifty naval commandos with their boats. One Cessna AC-208B Combat Caravan and three patrol boats completed the monitoring device.
On French side: besides the BPC Tonnerre and the Georges Leygues anti-submarine warfare (ASW) frigate, the amphibious group included two hundred legionaries of the 6th Light Armored Brigade, embarked with some fifty vehicles. A fast amphibious landing craft (EDAR), two barges carrying equipment, an Army Puma, two Army Gazelle and a Navy Alouette 3 helicopters completed the device during the year.
A Lebanese Navy Commandos securing the landing of a French Army UNAC EGAME dozer from the CTM 29.
A Lebanese Navy Commandos securing the landing of a French Army UNAC EGAME dozer from the CTM 29.
French Army Sappers securing the landing of a French Army UNAC EGAME dozer from the CTM 29.
French Army sappers securing the landing of a French Army UNAC EGAME dozer from the CTM 29.
The landing of a French Army UNAC EGAME dozer from the CTM 29.
French Legionaries during the landing operation.
The landing of a French Army UNAC EGAME dozer from the CTM 29, The EDAR being next to it.
The landing of a French Army UNAC EGAME dozer from the CTM 29.
A Lebanese Army M113A1 of the Moujawakal Regiment disembarking from a Lebanese Navy EDIC-III
A French Army UNAC EGAME dozer ready for landing operation.
A French Army Puma helicopter on the BPC Tonnerre.
A French Army Puma and a French Navy Alouette III helicopters on the BPC Tonnerre.
A French Legionary on the beach.
General view of the Landing operation.
General view of the Landing operation.
General view of the Landing operation.
Sources & Photo credits: Lebanese Army Website, Ministère de La defense, AFP…
More photos can be seen on bpctonnerre.free.fr
