Opération Baliste is the codename for the French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 aeronaval operation off Lebanon

Lebanon

Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

 aiming at securing citizens of the European Union

European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

, since July 2006, in the context of the 2006 Lebanon War.

Components

Opération Baliste employed 1,700 men under contre-amiral

Counter Admiral

Counter admiral is a rank found in many navies of the world, but no longer used in English-speaking countries, where the equivalent rank is rear admiral...

Xavier Magne

Xavier Magne

Vice-Amiral Xavier Magne is a French Navy officer.- Biography :Magne made a career aboard the Charles De Gaulle. On the 5 August 2005, he was promoting from second officer to captain of the aircraft carrier, succeededing capitaine de vaisseau Denis Béraud.As a squadron commander, he directed the...

. The operation was threefold :

• An aerial transport group, composed with one Transall C-160
  Transall C-160
  |-See also:-References:* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982-83. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0748-2.-External links:*...
  
   and 3 Eurocopter Cougar
  Eurocopter Cougar
  -See also:-External links:* *...
  
  
• A battlegroup (Groupe Tactique Interarmes, in French
  French language
  French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
  
  ) of the French Army
  French Army
  The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
  
  , including motorised infantry, engineering, ALAT
  French Army Light Aviation
  The French Army Light Aviation is the aviation service of the French Army.-History:The French Army Light Aviation was established on 22 November 1954 for observation, reconnaissance, assault and supply duties.-Composition:...
  
   and light armour.
• An amphibious naval group composed with the amphibious operation ships Mistral and Siroco
  Siroco (L 9012)
  The Siroco is a Foudre class amphibious assault ship of the French Navy.Siroco was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce from 10 October to 25 November 1999....
  
  , and the frigates Jean Bart and Jean de Vienne. The group has hospital capabilities, combat helicopters, transport helicopters, and landing craft.

History

On 18 August 2006, 14,500 people had been evacuated (including 11,300 French citizens).

On 20 August, the TCD Foudre

Foudre (L 9011)

The Foudre is an amphibious assault ship of the French Navy, the twelfth vessel to bear the name, and lead ship of her class.She served during the war in Yugoslavia, and has been the central element of Operation Licorne in Côte d'Ivoire....

 and the frigate Cassard sailed from Toulon

Toulon

Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....

 to join the theatre and convoy elements from the 2nd and 13th Regiments of Engineering, as well as over 100 engineering vehicles for the UNIFIL

On 3 October, an Israeli fighter penetrated the 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) defence perimeter of the stealth frigate Courbet, triggering a diplomatic incident. Israel apologised after official protests from the French government http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0%402-3218,36-828946%4051-759824,0.html.

External links

• Frence Defence Ministry L'opération BALISTE ancienscolbleus.forumactif.com, site for former French sailors ; lots of photographs. corlobe.tk