LAF Huey II in Action

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

The Lebanese Air Force Bell Huey II during training sessions with the Airborne Regiment, May 2013.

Photo Credits: Chadi RACHID

Cèdre Bleu 2013

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

New Huey, New Colors

A couple of photos taken during the painting process of the new camouflage pattern set for the Lebanese Air Force Huey II:

Another courtesy from Elite Group Lebanon:

 

 

Photo Credits: Samer Kassis/Elite Group Lebanon

Merry Christmas

 

Source: Lebanese Army Website

3rd Intervention Regiment Landing Op

In the presence of senior Army officers, major unit commanders and independent regiments as well as officers from the General Directorate of Internal Security Forces, the 3rd Intervention Regiment conducted a combat exercise simulating a landing operation and forming a beach bridge head for the units to advance and attack a spot occupied by terrorist groups.
The exercise was distinguished due to its precision and the high level of coordination between the different units which participated in the exercise. This exercise comes in a series of exercises conducted by the Army Special Forces to raise the level of combat readiness.

A Lebanese Air Force UH-1H flying toward Lebanese Army AML-90 Lynx of the 3rd Intervention Regiment.

Lebanese Army M113 APCs of the 3rd Intervention Regiment disembarking from the Lebanese Navy ‘Damour’ EDIC-III landing craft

A Lebanese Army M113A2 w/ZPU-2 of the 3rd Intervention Regiment supporting troops on the beach.

 

 

Source: Lebanese Army Website

 

 

“Path of Dignity”

“Path of Dignity” or “Darb Al-Karama” is the name of one of the latest Lebanese Army combat exercise conducted in Oyoun Al-Siman by the Air Assault Regiment with the participation of the Lebanese Air Force, the 1st Anti-tank Regiment and the 1st Armored Regiment. The exercise simulated the interception of a hostile armored unit which attempted to penetrate friendly lines by laying an ambush and destroying it.

Of course Elite Group Lebanon was on the spot as usual and delivers us some nice photo shots:

A Lebanese Air Force UH-1H Huey hovering over an AMX-13/90 target tank.

A Lebanese Air Force UH-1H next to a Lebanese Army M48A5 of the 1st Armored Regiment.

A Lebanese Air Force UH-1H hovering over a Lebanese Army M48A5 of the 1st Armored Regiment. The target tank here is an AMX-13 VCI.

A Lebanese Army M48A5 and an M60A3 tanks of the 1st Armored Regiment surrounding the AMX-13 VCI target tank.

Photo Credits: Elite Group Lebanon/Samer Kassis

Night Maneuver

On June 27 2012, The Lebanese Armpy Maghaweer (Commado) Regiment conducted a night combat maneuver in conjunction with units of each of the Air Force and Navy, the Engineering  and the first armored regiments in the Hamat area. the scenario was to simulate an attack against an entrenched terrorist group.

The maneuver included the use of Air Force helicopters and Nave vessels for landings as well as aerial reconnaissance by the Lebanese Air Force Cessna Caravan.

Lebanese Army AIFV-B-C25 of the Maghaweer Regiment during the maneuver.

A Lebanese Air Force UH-1H during the maneuver.

Source: Lebanese Army Website

Firefighting Helicopters

Some stunning photos of the Lebanese Air Force helicopters (UH-1H and S-61N) scrambled to help the firefighting vehicles in battling the blaze of a carpet factory that was engulfed in flames in the coastal town of Safra, north of Beirut, collapsed on Friday May 11:

Photo Credits: Mansour Hachem

Source: Flickr

More of Mansour Hachem’s work can be seen on his photostream

“Cèdre Bleu”

As part of the French-Lebanese bilateral cooperation and in the same time the training of student officers of the Groupe Jeanne d’Arc 2012, an amphibious exercise called Blue Cedar was held on 13 and 17 March in Jounieh, north of Beyrouth. Set by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), blue Cedar has seen the implementation of joint assets. The LAF participated with a sub-arms task force (SGTIA) with M113 APCs, two landing craft infantry and tanks (EDIC), two Gazelle helicopters and three helicopters Bell UH1. French forces have been engaged from the PBC Dixmude with VAB APCs, an amphibious landing craft fast (EDAR), two barges transporting material (CTM) and two Gazelle helicopters.

A Wonderful photo report made by the ECPAD is available on their website, here are some of these photos:

The newly delivered French Marine Nationale BPC Dixmude on it's first mission overseas in front of Lebanese shores.

The Lebanese Navy 'Damour' EDIC-III landing craft and a pair of French ALAT SA-342L1 Viviane.

The Lebanese Navy 'Damour' EDIC-III landing craft.

The Lebanese Air Force L1009 UH-1H of the 10th Squadron.

A Lebanese Navy Willard Marine Sea Force 11m Standard Navy Rigid Inflatable Boat (SN RIB/RHIB).

A French ALAT SA.330Ba Puma.

The French Marine Nationale CTM 27 and EDAR L9093. The EDAR (Engin de Débarquement Amphibie Rapide) is set to replace the CTM (Chaland de Transport de Matériel).

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The Lebanese Navy 'Damour' EDIC-III landing craft carrying French Army vehicles, among them an AMX-10RC Revalorisé, a VAB ERYX, a VAB Génie, a GBC 180 LOT 7 and a VBL.

The French Army AMX-10RC Revalorié disembarking from the Lebanese Navy 'Damour' EDIC-III landing craft.

Lebanese Army M113A2 APCs of the First Armored Regiment disembarking from the Lebanese Navy 'Sour' EDIC-III landing craft.

Lebanese Army M60A3 tanks and M113A2 APCs of the First Armored Regiment.

More photos can be seen on http://www.ecpad.fr/liban-exercice-cebre-bleu

More Photos are also posted on http://bpc.dixmude.free.fr/:

Season’s Greetings from EGL

ELITE GROUP LEBANON grants us with a set of photos of one of the best live exercise held in 2011 by the Lebanese Army Commandos (Maghaweer) Regiment in the Aqoura region on early September.

Those photos came with a message from Elite Group Lebanon/Samer Kassis:

“Dear visitors of Military in the Middle East ,thank you for your support,  wish you you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and I promise you that we will post many many good photos in 2012

Samer Kassis”

A Lebanese Army M825 of the Maghaweer Regiment during the live-fire exercise in Aqoura, September 9, 2011. (EGL/Samer Kassis)

A Lebanese Air Force SA.342L Gazelle during the live-fire exercise in Aqoura, September 9, 2011. (EGL/Samer Kassis)

A Lebanese Air Force UH-1H during the live-fire exercise in Aqoura, September 9, 2011. (EGL/Samer Kassis)

A Lebanese Army M825 of the Maghaweer Regiment during the live-fire exercise in Aqoura, September 9, 2011. (EGL/Samer Kassis)

A Lebanese Army M292 Expansible Van Truck of the Maghaweer Regiment during the live-fire exercise in Aqoura, September 9, 2011. (EGL/Samer Kassis)

A Lebanese Army M1038 of the Maghaweer Regiment during the live-fire exercise in Aqoura, September 9, 2011. (EGL/Samer Kassis)

Samer Kassis next to Lebanese Army T-55s of the 6th Mechanized Brigade during the live-fire exercise in Aqoura, September 9, 2011. (EGL/Samer Kassis)

A Lebanese Army BM-21 on M809 series truckof the 2nd Artillery Regiment during the live-fire exercise in Aqoura, September 9, 2011. (EGL/Samer Kassis)

A Lebanese Army BM-21 on Ural-375Dof the 2nd Artillery Regiment during the live-fire exercise in Aqoura, September 9, 2011. (EGL/Samer Kassis)

Lebanese Army M113 w/ZPU-4 vehicles of the Maghaweer Regiment during the live-fire exercise in Aqoura, September 9, 2011. (EGL/Samer Kassis)

A Lebanese Army VAB APCs of the Maghaweer Regiment during the live-fire exercise in Aqoura, September 9, 2011. (EGL/Samer Kassis)

A Lebanese Army T-55 tanks of the 6th Mechanized Brigade during the live-fire exercise in Aqoura, September 9, 2011. (EGL/Samer Kassis)