France has for the first time deployed NH90 Caiman helicopters to Mali, with two aircraft arriving in Gao on November 3 as part of Operation Barkane.
The French defence ministry said the NH90 TTH (transport) helicopters can carry up to 20 people or two and a half tons of cargo and offer twice the range of the Puma and provide better protection in case of crash or fire.
The two helicopters replace two Pumas, which return to France at the end of November. The French defence ministry said they reinforce the capacity of airmobile subgroup (SGAM) Battle Group West Desert (GTD-O) of the Operation Barkhane force.
The two aircraft took off from 1er Régiment d’Hélicoptères de Combat based in Phalsburg on October 28 and made stops in Malaga, Gran Canaria and Dakar before reaching Gao. They accumulated 32 flying hours in the process. At the same time, equipment and 15 people in charge of maintenance were deployed to the theatre by air.
The deployment marks the first time France is using the NH90 for combat operations. It comes less than a year after the type entered service with the French Army.
Launched on August 1, 2014, the French-led Operation Barkhane is taking place in the Sahel-Saharan countries of Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso. These countries have agreed to make a regional and coordinated response to security challenges and threats posed to them by armed terrorist groups.
Operation Barkhane involves 3 000 troops, twenty helicopters, 200 logistics vehicles, 200 armoured vehicles, six fighter aircraft, 3 UAVs and ten transport aircraft.