German Government Wants To Boost Support for Malian Operation

Source : defensenews.com

BONN — The German government wants to extend its support for international and French operations in West African Mali, possibly including A310 MRTT-type tanker aircraft, military trainers and medical personnel.

Germany’s Air Force has already sent three C-160 Transall ESS transport aircraft with 75 soldiers to Dakar, Senegal. Their job is to transport troops of the Economic Community Of West African States to the Malian capital Bamako and Sevare-Mopti. In this context, the government made it clear on Jan. 16 that these troops would not support French forces in Operation Serval, the name given to the effort to defeat Islamist rebels in the country.

For the near future, the German government also plans to support the European Union training mission for Mali. This is expected to consist of about 40 personnel to train Malian forces in operations such as bridge building or mine clearance.

After a meeting on Mali in Bruxelles on Feb. 5, German Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière told the newspaper Der Tagesspiegel that Germany also offered a military field hospital with about 40 medics and soldiers.

Besides its involvement in international operations, Germany also wants to help the French Air Force directly. Currently, Germany’s A310 tanker aircraft are undergoing the certification process needed for the aerial refueling of allied aircraft, such as Rafale and Mirage fighter jets.

These additional offers still need approval by the German Bundestag. The German Cabinet may make final decisions on some of these issues during a Feb. 19 meeting. The parliament then could vote at the end of the month.

Germany Plans to Deploy Armed Drones

Source : Atlantic Council

From Veit Medick, Spiegel: Bowing to pressure from the German armed forces, th Bundeswehr, the federal government in Berlin is preparing to deploy armed, unm drones in foreign conflicts. In an answer to an official query made by the far-left Party, which has been obtained by SPIEGEL ONLINE, the German government wr that its experience in foreign combat operations has made it clear that reconnais vehicles must be armed "in order to provide protection against sudden and serio changes in the situation."

As opposed to unarmed surveillance drones, these aircraft could attack known ta in a "quick, precise and scalable" way, the document stated. "In addition, the new features would confront opposing forces with a permanent and unpredictable thr that would limit their ability to act." It went on to say that the weapons boost safe security through "credible deterrence," pointing to the "Predator" drones used by United States as a possible model.

The government decision on armed drones brings the German air force one step to implementing a long-standing plan to dramatically alter the country's drone fl Unlike the United States, Germany has only been using unarmed drones in comb aerial reconnaissance in Afghanistan, the Defense Ministry leases the drone mod "Heron 1" from an Israeli consortium and also relies on drones built by the Germ company Rheinmetall. But the government's contract with the Israeli group runs the end of 2014, and the military has been searching for a replacement for some now. . . .

Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière has always been open to having armed dr "Aircraft are allowed to carry weapons, so why shouldn't an unmanned aircraft a able to do so?" de Maizière, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservati Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said in an interview with the German daily Di "The new weapons have a huge advantage: They are more targeted. And the bette can target, the less damage there will be," he said. . . .

Within Germany, politicians have been divided on the issue. Those within the CD the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) view drones as a necessary evil of se policy. Meanwhile, the Left Party, the Green Party and even many within the CDU governing coalition partner, the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP), are op to the plans. (photo: DPA) (via Real Clear World)