PARIS - France is capable of providing the command and control for the multinational military forces ranged against Libya in support of U.N. resolution 1973, which is aimed at protecting the civilian population and enforcing a no-fly zone, a French defense spokesman said.
The U.S. authorities provide the command structure that coordinates national contributions, and American officials have said they would like to hand over the command to the allies leading the European effort, namely Britain and France.
Asked if France has the means for assuming the command role, Army Col. Thierry Burkhard, spokesman for the Joint Staff, told the daily briefing on French operations in Libya, "France has the means."
Each country proposes its military capabilities in the Libyan theater and the U.S. command structure "deconflicts" them, deputy Defense Ministry spokesman Philippe Pontiès said.
Any NATO involvement in the command structure would be in a "support" role, Pontiès said.
France opposes the command function being assumed by NATO, which French officials view as highly bureaucratic, daily Le Monde reported.
The U.S. Ramstein base in Germany has the most extensive facilities for the command mission, French Defense Ministry spokesman Laurent Teissere told journalists.
On the third day of air operations over Libya, dubbed Operation Harmattan, the French Air Force had flown more than 55 sorties and over 400 hours, Burkhard said. The aircraft did not fire on the third day, he said.
Amid international concern over the bombardment of Libya over the weekend by coalition forces, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé said March 21 that the allies' action had prevented a "bloodbath" in Benghazi by saving civilian lives in the city.
Some 20 aircraft had flown on March 22 to enforce the no-fly zone, as Rafale and Mirage 2000 jets patrolled the skies over Benghazi, flying air superiority missions and threatening ground strikes against Libyan Army armor. They were supported by in-flight refueling tankers and airborne warning and control systems aircraft. The Corsican airbase of Solenzara has become the base for those combat aircraft.
As announced, the Charles de Gaulle carrier and its task force would arrive on station off the Libyan coast on March 22, and its fleet of Rafales and Super Etendard fighters would be operational over Libya "as of tomorrow," a French defense spokesman said.
A French Rafale jet fighter prepares to land March 21 at the aerial military base of Solenzara in Corsica. (Stephan Agostini / AFP via Getty Images)
Asked if France has the means for assuming the command role, Army Col. Thierry Burkhard, spokesman for the Joint Staff, told the daily briefing on French operations in Libya, "France has the means."
Each country proposes its military capabilities in the Libyan theater and the U.S. command structure "deconflicts" them, deputy Defense Ministry spokesman Philippe Pontiès said.
Any NATO involvement in the command structure would be in a "support" role, Pontiès said.
France opposes the command function being assumed by NATO, which French officials view as highly bureaucratic, daily Le Monde reported.
The U.S. Ramstein base in Germany has the most extensive facilities for the command mission, French Defense Ministry spokesman Laurent Teissere told journalists.
On the third day of air operations over Libya, dubbed Operation Harmattan, the French Air Force had flown more than 55 sorties and over 400 hours, Burkhard said. The aircraft did not fire on the third day, he said.
Amid international concern over the bombardment of Libya over the weekend by coalition forces, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé said March 21 that the allies' action had prevented a "bloodbath" in Benghazi by saving civilian lives in the city.
Some 20 aircraft had flown on March 22 to enforce the no-fly zone, as Rafale and Mirage 2000 jets patrolled the skies over Benghazi, flying air superiority missions and threatening ground strikes against Libyan Army armor. They were supported by in-flight refueling tankers and airborne warning and control systems aircraft. The Corsican airbase of Solenzara has become the base for those combat aircraft.
As announced, the Charles de Gaulle carrier and its task force would arrive on station off the Libyan coast on March 22, and its fleet of Rafales and Super Etendard fighters would be operational over Libya "as of tomorrow," a French defense spokesman said.
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