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Aviation History
1957
1957 - 0015.PDF
4 January 1957 15 /n a cloud of dust (above) kicked up by rotor downwash, troops run to take up positions after landing. At right, tour Arab prisoners under guard wait to board an 5-55 which will take them from this hill-top landing site to an interrogation centre. and 13 S-58s, 534 hours. When the complications of operatingsuch machines are considered it cannot be doubted that this is a magnificent result. Truth to tell, the work of the helicopters in Algeria is notentirely offensive. Moreover, the light two/three-seat Bell 47s carry too small a useful load to be used for more than transport ofpassengers and light freight. They specialize in casualty evacua- tion and have already saved several hundred lives. It is to theSikorsky S-55s and S-58s, and also to the Vertol H-21s of the ground forces that the offensive—and also the freight transport—work falls. In a few months' time, these foreign-built machines will be joined in the front line by Ouest Djinn and Sud-OuestAlouette turbine-driven, all-French helicopters, the first examples of which are even now coming off the production line. By virtue of this ever-increasing helicopter activity, the effec-tiveness and striking capability of the security forces has con- tinually increased. There can be no doubt that the use of helicoptersis hastening the conclusion of hostilities whose military result can only be favourable to the French forces. Public security operations in North Africa were faced at theoutset with the problem that the enemy always disappeared as soon as the security forces were in a position to bring superior fire-power to bear. Because communications were insufficient and insecure and didnot allow rapid deployment of ground units over the country, the commanders had to effect, on the one hand, a considerable decen-tralization of the executive arm and, on the other hand, they had to make use of air transport. Both these expedients provided theindispensable factor of speed required to beat the enemy on his own ground. Air transport offered the following facilities: airborne opera-tions allowing the transfer of troops by aircraft and gliders from one point to another; air-support operations allowing troop air-lifts followed by parachute supply-drops; and helicopter opera- tions providing troop- and supply-transport. Of these differenttypes of support, which may be prolonged, that using helicopters is the simplest and can be controlled visually from the ground orfrom the air by the battalion or regimental commander. Three main types of mission are carried out by the troops—anti-guerilla missions; protection of vulnerable keypoints; and operations by special units held in reserve to support anti-guerillaand protection forces, to counter a direct attack by the enemy or to provide rapid retaliation. Anti-guerilla missions are intendedto combat the rebels by using their own tactics on their own ground with the object of eliminating them by ambush and bycoup de main raids by day and night; by sorties designed to drive them back into their fortified bases; by attacking those bases andstores of food, arms and ammunition; and by pacifying operations amongst the people, designed to cut off rebel communicationsand sources of supplies. For these missions helicopters are used to surprise the enemy when he operates on his own territory (with thevoluntary or involuntary support of the population), or to main- tain contact with an identified band and then to bring it to combatand to destroy it by using the factor of speed and superior force. Protection of vulnerable key-points is afforded by means ofgarrisons in Algerian economic, military and administrative centres. There are many of these key-points, including centresof civil and military administration; harbour, railway, road, radio and telephone installations; depots for food, fuel and ammunition;industrial, mining and rural centres; and dams. It is only possible to provide these points with garrisons sufficiently large to beat offa carefully prepared rebel attack in places within the boundaries of large centres of population. The helicopter allows the rein-forcement or replacement of small garrisons because it overcomes the difficulties of bad roads and danger of ambushes. Operations by special reserve units, each of a size commensurate with its parent echelon, are designed to reinforce the garrisonsor security forces by countering immediately every attack or threat of attack, and by bringing the enemy to combat in order to preventhim slipping away. In this case again the helicopter offers the speed which is the primary requirement of all such operations. Rotating-wing aircraft, in addition to flying assault missions,are used for casualty evacuation, command liaison, reconnais- sance, supply-carrying and for transporting prisoners and suspectsto interrogation centres. In the Army, helicopter formations are organized in groups(Groupes) divided into squadrons (escadrilles) of helicopters of the same (light or medium) type. In the Air Force, the machinesare placed at the disposal, for operational purposes, of the ground commander, through the intermediary of the tactical flying organ-izations (G.A.T.A.C.). During the operations the helicopter detachment commander is under the orders of the operationalground commander, to whom he is attached as assistant and tactical adviser. It is the rule that helicopters are used as far as possible in opera-tions which will bring troops into direct contact with the rebels, either on their flank or in their rear, in order to destroy thembefore they have had time to disperse. The use of helicopters for transporting troops and stores from one point to another withoutthe prospect of immediate combat is strictly limited to urgent cases. OPERATIONAL STATISTICS Army helicopter! in Algeria only during the »ix months from May 1 to November 1, 1956:— (1) Missions flown specially for operational and regional commanders:— Reconnaissance Casualty Evacuation ... Operational Liaison ... Operational Troop Movement Operations ... Operational Supply Missions Light Sorties 184 1.026 2,754 768 1,239 59 Hr 115 1,006 1,352 588 638 23 Medium Sorties 11 231 436 1,248 2,629 640 Hr 6 221 283 1.023 780279 Heavy Sorties 0 29 54 510 1,358 90 Hr 0 16 31 407 457 45 (2) Casualty evacuations: during the above period 2,309 wounded were evacuated by helicopter. (3) Percentage analysis of missions in November, 1956. (N.B.—The balance is rapidly changing as the heavy H-21s are progressively introduced into service):— Type of Mission Reconnaissance -. Casualty Evacuation Operational Liaison ... Operational Troop Movement Operations Operational Supply Missions Light (per cent) 7 20 42 12 18 1 Medium (per cent) 0 4 9 24 55 8 Heavy (per cent) 0 1 2 26 68 3 Air Force helicopters, in Algeria alone:— (1) During the period July 20 to November 1.—In 758 troop transport sorties 23,400 men and 63.1 tonnes of supplies were carried: for example, at the beginning of September, four S-58s transported 710 commandos into position in under three hours. (2) Example ef one week's work.—In 11 operations, 2.469 men and 5.8 tonnes of supplies carried. In five operations, 1,669 men, 5.2 tonnes of supplies carried and 18 casualties evacuated. (3) Equipment losses during a recent four-month period: one S-55 crashed; two S-55s destroyed in mid-air collision; eight helicopters hit by enemy fire but returned safely to base.
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