the essential
The French special forces of the Air and Space Force will carry out a large-scale exercise in Tarn this May and many municipalities will be impacted. We will explain everything to you.
Code name “Athena”. A military exercise which prepares French special forces for high-intensity combat every year in the spring. It will take place from May 13 to 24, in “the southwest zone” of France and in particular on May 15, 18 and 20 on the Tarn infrastructures.
During these days, the Gaillac airfield will be used for planned operations. “This exercise will involve a significant number of defense aircraft (Special Air Forces Brigade), French and foreign,” indicates the Ministry of the Armed Forces.
What do these operations consist of?
Reconnaissance, airdrop, infiltration, assault… According to the ministry, according to a realistic scenario, military intelligence will perceive enemies using ISR means (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance). Their demands, their weapons techniques and their operating methods are thus known by intelligence.
Targeting then informs the commandos of the list of people to capture or neutralize. On the operational level, they implement numerous techniques: airdropping, airdropping, helicopter drop followed by pedestrian infiltration, infiltration under sail after parachuting to finish on foot, vertical assault, etc.
Farmers and wine growers must report to be seen from the sky
The participants, who will train “outside military terrain”, will therefore use the infrastructures of the Gaillac aerodrome on May 15, 18 and 20. Many municipalities in Tarn, which will be impacted, have already warned their residents: Lisle-sur-Tarn, Giroussens, Rabastens, Lavaur, Virac, Arfons, Lombers, Saint-Juéry, Livers-Cazelles, Soual, Damiatte, Lasgraisses, etc. .
An obligation for mayors, because according to article R2161-3 of the Defense Code, the councilor “invites the owners of vines or sown or unharvested land to indicate them by a visible sign”. This approach thus makes it possible to supervise possible procedures for compensation in the event of damage caused by military maneuvers.
A giant military exercise already carried out in February 2023
The last major military exercise in Tarn is recent. It dates back to February 2023 in Castres. As part of Orion 2023 – the largest military maneuvers in France in the last 30 years – an airborne operation was scheduled for February 25 in Castres, on the Causse training area near the airport. 6 Airbus A400M had dropped several tons of military equipment and around a hundred paratroopers at an altitude of more than 300 meters.
