MERCY: Franco-Jordanian training in Aqaba

A joint shooting exercise between Jordanian and French forces took place on the 1st and 2nd of April 2013 on the military camp of Al Humaïma, 60 km north of the port of Aqaba. The joint exercise, Mercy, put into action the entire French Army tactical group (GTE) onboard the BPC Tonnerre, 200 legionnaires and 50 vehicles, as well as two Gazelle and a Puma ALAT helicopters. The Jordanian side deployed a section of the Jordanian Armed Forces 61st Special Forces Battalion and their armored Humvees.

Jordanian Armed Forces M1043A2 HMMWV of the 61st Special Forces Battalion during the exercise.

A French ALAT SA-342M Gazelle Viviane during the exercise.

A French Army VAB TOP during the exercise.

French Army VAB TOP APCs during the exercise.

A French Army legionnaire during the exercise.

Source: Ministère de la Defense/ECPAD

“Gulf Falcon” 2013 “صقر الخليج”

From February 16 to March 7 2013, the French Qatari joint exercise Gulf Falcon 2013 committed nearly 3,000 troops from both countries. Several vehicles was used such as the French Leclerc MBT and VBCI IFV or the Qatari AMX-30. A very old friend of mine, Hassan El Saneh, an experimented News Cameraman, took these souvenir photos depicting the vehicles engaged at the last day of the exercise:

The French Army Leclerc MBT during the exercise.

The French Army Leclerc MBT during the exercise.

The French Army Leclerc MBT during the exercise.

The French Army Leclerc MBT during the exercise.

The French Army Leclerc Main BattleTank and VBCI VPC Infantry Fighting Vehicle during the exercise.

The French Army VBCI VPC IFV and Qatar Armed Forces AMX-30 during the exercise.

The French Army VBCI VPC IFV and Qatar Armed Forces AMX-30 during the exercise.

The Qatar Armed Forces AMX-30 and the Qatar Emiri Guard Brigade MOWAG Piranha II 8×8 w/90mm CCTS turret during the exercise.

The Qatar Armed Forces AMX-30 and the Qatar Emiri Guard Brigade MOWAG Piranha II 8×8 w/90mm CCTS turret during the exercise.

A French Army Mistral SAM MANPAD mounted on ACMAT VLRA TPK 4.20 STL and a Qatar Armed Forces Mistral SAM originally mounted on the Unimog 406 in the background.

Qatar Armed Forces Mistral SAM with Unimog 406, Roland SAM system on MAN truck, VAB, VBL and Toyota Land Cruiser 4500 EFI of the Special Forces during the exercise.

French Army VBCI IFVs on the move.

French Army VBCI IFVs on the move.

French Army VBCI IFVs on the move.

French Army VBCI IFVs on the move.

French Army VBCI IFVs on the move.

French Army VBCI IFVs on the move.

French Army VBCI IFVs on the move.

A French Army VBCI IFV during the exercise.

Qatar Armed Forces troops during the exercise.

French Army troops during the exercise.

Photo Credits: Hassan El Saneh

“Peninsula Shield 9″ “درع الجزيرة ٩”

The month of February witnessed a huge live exercise for the Peninsula Shield Force in Kuwait. Armies of the Cooperation Council for Arab States of the Gulf participated in this exercise:

Royal Army of Oman VBL, VAB 6×6, LAV Piranha 8×8 and Royal Saudi Land Force M60A3 MBTs during the exercise.

Royal Army of Oman VAB 6×6, Royal Saudi Land Force M60A3 MBTs and Kuwaiti Army M-84 MBTs during the exercise.

Royal Army of Oman VAB 6×6 and Royal Saudi Land Force M60A3 MBTs during the exercise.

A Royal Saudi Land Force M1025A2 w/Ingwe ATGM ALRRT-4M turret during the exercise.

Royal Saudi Air Force F-15SA during the exercise.

Kuwait Air Force F/A-18C during the exercise.

Photo Credits and Source: Bahrain News Agency

Steel Storm 2013

From February 28 up to March 1st 2013, the Force Commander Reserve (FCR) conducted a joint fire exercise with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in the  Naqoura region.

For two days, Steel Storm exercise allowed shooting training for all the operational units of the FCR while strengthening cooperation between UNIFIL and the LAF.

French (VBL, VBCI and VAB) and Lebanese (M113) armored vehicles, equipped with various weapons on board (gun 7.62, 12.7, 20 and 25 cannon and PGM rifle), succeeded one another on the shooting range south of Naqoura. Nearly 15,000 cartridges of all calibers were fired at distant targets from 400 to 1400 meters. The French military also practiced shooting on machine gun superstructure in order to develop skills of combat shooting from vehicles and improve the efficiency of the shooter.

A FRENCHBATT UNIFIL VBL RECO at the shooting range.

A FRENCHBATT UNIFIL VBL at the shooting range.

A FRENCHBATT UNIFIL Peugeot P4 crew at the shooting range.

A FRENCHBATT UNIFIL VAB T-20/13 Valorisé and a Lebanese Army M113A1 of the 5th Mechanized Brigade during the exercise.

A FRENCHBATT UNIFIL VBCI and a Lebanese Army M113A1 of the 9th Mechanized Brigade during the exercise.

A FRENCHBATT UNIFIL FCR unit at the shooting range.

 

Source: Ministère de la Défense

Joint Pioneer Exercises

From 15 January to 15 February 2013, the engineering section of the Force Commander Reserve (FCR) conducted several weeks of joint exercises between French and Lebanese sappers.

French and Lebanese pioneers training in front of a French UNIFIL Renault GBC ADR CAB.

French and Lebanese pioneers training in front of a French UNIFIL Renault VAB.

French and Lebanese pioneers training.

French and Lebanese pioneers training.

Source: Ministère de la Defense

Qatar National Day

A photo report from the Qatar National Day military parade held on December 18 2012:

Another courtesy from Elite Group Lebanon:

Qatar Armed Forces Ferret Mk2 armoured cars.

A Qatar Armed Forces FV601 Saladin.

Qatar Armed Forces FV603 Saracen APCs & Daimler armoured cars.

A Qatar Armed Forces FV603 Saracen APC

Qatar Armed Forces FV603 Saracen APC

Qatar Armed Forces Daimler armoured cars.

Qatar Armed Forces Daimler armoured cars.

A Qatar Armed Forces Daimler armoured cars.

Qatar Armed Forces Daimler armoured cars.

A Qatar Armed Forces Daimler armoured cars.

A Qatar Armed Forces Land Rover Series II SWB towing a 25pdr gun

Qatar Armed Forces Land Rover Series II SWB towing a 25pdr gun

Qatar Armed Forces Ferret Mk2 armoured cars.

A Qatar Armed Forces Ferret Mk2 armoured car & an Austin Champ vehicle.

Qatar Armed Forces VBL all-terrain vehicle.

Qatar Armed Forces VBL all-terrain vehicle.

Qatar Armed Forces VBL all-terrain vehicle.

Qatar Armed Forces Toyota Land Cruiser 4500 EFI of the Special Forces.

A Qatar Armed Forces Ford F350 Super Duty of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal squad.

The same Qatar Armed Forces Ford F350 Super Duty of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal squad.

A Qatar Armed Forces Chevrolet Suburban of the Emiri Guard Brigade.

A Qatar Armed Forces Chevrolet 2500 HD of the Emiri Guard Brigade.

A Qatar Armed Forces Ford Raptor SVT of the Emiri Guard Brigade.

Qatar Armed Forces VAB VMO of the Emiri Guard Brigade.

Qatar Armed Forces VAB VMO of the Emiri Guard Brigade.

A Qatar Armed Forces VAB VMO of the Emiri Guard Brigade.

Qatar Armed Forces VAB VMO of the Emiri Guard Brigade.

Qatar Armed Forces VAB VMO of the Emiri Guard Brigade.

Qatar Armed Forces MOWAG Piranha II 8×8 w/90mm CCTS turret of the Emiri Guard Brigade.

Qatar Armed Forces MOWAG Piranha II 8×8 w/90mm CCTS turret of the Emiri Guard Brigade.

Qatar Armed Forces MOWAG Piranha II 8×8 w/90mm CCTS turret of the Emiri Guard Brigade.

Qatar Armed Forces MOWAG Piranha II 8×8 w/90mm CCTS turret of the Emiri Guard Brigade.

A Qatar Internal Security Forces Chevrolet Suburban SWATEC HARAS.

Newly acquired Qatar Internal Security Forces Renault Trucks Defense Sherpa Light APCs.

Newly acquired Qatar Internal Security Forces Renault Trucks Defense Higuard MRAP AFVs.

Newly acquired Qatar Internal Security Forces Renault Trucks Defense Higuard MRAP AFVs.

A Qatar Internal Security Forces Zodiac Hurricane.

A Qatar Internal Security Forces Ziegler WAWE 9000 Riot Control truck.

A Qatar Internal Security Forces Mercedes based Smiths Heimann HCVM X-RAY Mobile Screening System.

An Qatar Emiri Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster III

Qatar Emiri Air Force Westland Commando Mk.3 helicopters.

Qatar Emiri Air Force Westland Commando Mk.3 helicopters.

Qatar Emiri Air Force AgustaWestland AW139M helicopters.

Qatar Emiri Air Force AgustaWestland AW139M helicopters.

Qatar Emiri Air Force SA 342 Gazelle helicopters.

Qatar Emiri Air Force SA 342 Gazelle helicopters.

Qatar Emiri Air Force Alpha Jet E closing the parade.

Photo Credits: Elite Group Lebanon

A Day with Panthers

On the 3rd of November an open day was held at the Lebanese Internal Security Forces Fouhoud Regiment barracks. The Fouhoud Regiment and the Rapid Intervention Regiment displayed their equipment to the visitors as well as live demos. Our correspondent in Lebanon grants us with some photos of this event:

Lebanese ISF V-200 Chaimite APCs of the Fouhoud Regiment in their barracks.

Lebanese ISF V-200 Chaimite APCs of the Rapid Intervention Regiment ready for the show.

A top view of the Lebanese ISF V-200 Chaimite APCs of the Rapid Intervention Regiment.

A turret close up of the Lebanese ISF V-200 Chaimite APCs of the Rapid Intervention Regiment.

A close up of the ISF VAB Mo of the Rapid Intervention Regiment during the open day.

An ISF VAB Mo and a JINO JRC-12000S riot control vehicle of the Rapid Intervention Regiment during the open day.

A Lebanese ISF JINO JRC-12000S riot control vehicle of the Rapid Intervention Regiment during the open day.

A close up of the Lebanese ISF JINO JRC-12000S riot control vehicle of the Rapid Intervention Regiment.

A close up of the Lebanese ISF JINO JRC-12000S riot control vehicle of the Rapid Intervention Regiment.

Photo Credits: Joe Bejjany

VAB in Town

A little time travel for this monday courtesy of Elite Group Lebanon:

A French Army MNF VAB in West Beirut in 1982.

A Lebanese Army VAB of the 6th Mechanized Brigade moving next to a Syrian Army soldier in Hamra street, next to cinema Strand, West Beirut, 1987.

 

Credits: Elite Group Lebanon/Samer Kassis

Steel Storm

On September 4, 2012, the Force Commander Reserve (FCR) participated in a joint firing exercise with the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in Naqoura.

Jointly organized by UNIFIL and the LAF, “Steel Storm”, the firing exercise was intended to strengthen cooperation and operational coordination between the FCR and LAF. The exercise was led by the tactical command post of the FCR. The UNIFIL Maritime Task Force guaranteed safety at sea

The French vehicles, the VBL, the VBCI, The VAB and the Lebanese M113 followed one another on the shooting range, facing the sea, and shot over 10,000 cartridges and shells during the day. The targets were prepared and set by the Lebanese Navy and the security of the shooting has been held alternately by French and Lebanese soldiers.

A FRENCHBATT VBL and a Lebanese Army M113 of the 5th Mechanized Brigade during the exercise.

A FRENCHBATT VBL during the exercise.

A Lebanese Army M113 of the 5th Mechanized Brigade during the exercise.

A FRENCHBATT VAB and a VBCI VPC during the exercise.

A general view of the joint firing exercise.

 

 

Sources: Lebanese Army Website & Ministère de la Défense

 

 

 

 

Night Patrol

On the night of August 31, 2012, the traffic platoon of the Force Commander Reserve (FCR) conducted an observation mission at night (Night Observation Post, NOP), in coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces.

The traffic platoon of the FCR, which mainly conduct convoy escort missions and route reconnaissance, conducted on August 31 its third observer mission night since the start of Daman XVII term.

This mission took place in the Italian sector (West Sector) area of operations of the UNIFIL. The observation post of the traffic platoon stood northeast of the city of Kafra in the Malaysian battalion area.

A UNIFIL FRENCHBATT PVP.

 

 

 

Source: Ministère de la Défense