French involvement in the Europe after 2001.

[Legbreaker]

Warsaw Pact would use ICBM while NATO woud probably focus on cruise missile.

Unless Nato wanted to frame the Pact for the strikes....
When attacking a neutral country, plausible deniability is vital I'd think, especially when said neutral can nuke you right back again!

[WallShadow]

A plum in the Belgian pie

Sabiex International, a Belgian corporation, specializes in buying surplus military AFVs and refurbishing/upgrading them. They have a large supply of spare parts for Pact vehicles (T-54/55, T-72, PT-76, BMPs, BTRs, etc), and NATO and French vehicles are part of their inventory also. Located about 15 miles south of Bruxelles and about 7 miles SW of Waterloo.

Another ripe plum in the Belgian territory is the Fabrique National Herstal Corporation in Lieges, which manufactures small arms, machine guns, and grenade launchers and their mountings for vehicles. Could this and the Sabiex facility have escaped destruction If so, France has an enormous advantage in the reconstruction in the post-whoops era.

[Legbreaker]

I'm curious to know when they opened their doors, and where their Pact equipment came from...
They may not be such a prize if the bulk of their business came about after 1991.

[Mohoender]

Here is their website

http://www.sabiex.com/

They would be more involved in NATO/French equipments then. Yes they could have survived especially as Braine L'alleud is on the oposite side of Brussel. If Brussel was nuked because of the NATO HQ, this would be quite far away.

About the FN, it has survived except, of course if you chose to nuke Belgium heavily. Moreover, it is more than possible that the entire Meuse valley has survived with its siderurgy, technical industries...

Moreover, coal mines will reopen on the valley providing more ressources to France. All had been closed in the mid-1970's but mostly because exploitation had become too expensive. With the Twilight War this will no longer be an issue.

[boogiedowndonovan]

Mohender,

with all the recent developments in Libya, do you recall what forces France deployed to Chad during Operation Manta Is there an Order of Battle floating around out there

[Mohoender]

Mohender,

with all the recent developments in Libya, do you recall what forces France deployed to Chad during Operation Manta Is there an Order of Battle floating around out there

I'll check, I have seen something about it.

[Mohoender]

Quick translation of what I found from the Ministry of Defense

The force reached 3000 men supported by 20 helicopters and 30 aircrafts from air force, army and navy with elements from the following units:

- 2e RIMa (Rgiment d'Infanterie de Marine): naval infantry which is army
- 3e RIMa
- 21e RIMa
- 11e RAMa (Rgiment d'Artillerie de Marine): naval artillery (also army, don't ask)
- 1er RPIMa (Rgiment Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine): airborne naval infantry (and to no surprise: army)
- 1er RHP (Rgiment de Hussards Parachutistes): airborne armored recon now equipped with ERC-90. Alreeady at the time, I think it was the first regiment to be equipped with this vehicle. After watching pictures I have seen that it was still equipped with AML-60 and AML-90.
- 17e RGP (Rgiment de Gnie Parachutiste)
- 35e RAP (Rgiment d'Artillerie Parachutiste): airborne Artillery
- RICM (Rgiment d'Infanterie de Chars de Marine): naval tank which is army as well (AMX-10RC)
- 2e RHC (Rgiment d'Hlicoptres de Combat): helicopters
- 5e RHC
- DAO (Dtachement d'Assistance Oprationnelle): support
- Commandos de l'Air (FusCo or Fusilier-Commando): base protection/Army K9

- hlicopters: Gazelle and Puma from ALAT (Aviation Lgre de l'Arme de Terre),
- Combat aircrafts: Jaguar and Mirage F1
- Transport aircrafts: Transall
- Electronic/Surveillance: Brguet Atlantic (Navy).

None of these units were at full strength of course. At the time my computer science teachers was sergeant in the 1e RHP (and we were working on Commodore 64 while he was explaining us how fun it was to kick all those Libyan's asses).

Also not to forget, US was quite involved. My cousin was in Chad working for Caterpillar and, according to his saying, several people involved in the USAID and USIS offices were, in fact, CIA or else (If anyones has some serious references to validate his witnessing I'll be happy to know)..

Nice pictures here:

http://www.ecpad.fr/l%E2%80%99operation-manta-au-tchad

The truck with the AMX-10 crossing the river is a Simca-Marmon. Jeeps are Hotchkiss. Then I have seen a GMC along with the VLRA. the 20mm anti air were brand new. The other trucks are Berliet GBC-8. The soldiers equipped with rifles are DAO (FusCo was a mistake on my part) to which FAMAS were not often issued before the 1990's (they were also using the MAT-49), the anti-tank weapon is the LRAC F-1.

http://www.ecpad.fr/operation-manta-au-tchad

Late pictures. The FusCo had been issued the FAMAS