Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawks deployed to Djibouti exercised with French aircraft from the carrier Charles de Gaulle during a stop-over en route to the Persian Gulf to join operations against ISIS. “This is the first significant stop that we’ve made, conducting a live firing exercise in coordination with the US, preparing the French [Aeronavale] pilots for upcoming operations,” said British exchange pilot Lt. Cmdr. Ian Sloan in a Feb. 23 release. The Pave Hawks coordinated with French Rafale fighter aircraft and French and US Marine Corps joint terminal attack controllers during the five-day work-up, Jan. 31 to Feb. 4. Air Force Reserve Command airmen of the 303rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron are currently deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, providing personnel recovery to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, according to a release. France is additionally contributing AWACS, aerial refueling, maritime patrol, and land-based strike aircraft to operations over Iraq, making it a leading international contributor to the allied campaign.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
