LATEST FORCE GENERATION FOR ESDP MISSION TO CHAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 003346 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/ERA (NDEAN),EUR/RPM (BTURNER AF/FO (JSWAN),AF/RSA (MBITTRICK),PRM/AFR )MMCKELVEY) E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2017 TAGS: MOPS EUN CD CT PHUM SUBJECT: LATEST FORCE GENERATION FOR ESDP MISSION TO CHAD REF: A. BRUSSELS 03258 B. BRUSSELS 03018 Classified By: USEU Pol-Mil chief Jeremy Brenner for reasons 1.4 (b) an d (d). ¶1. (U) Summary. The EU held force generation conferences on November 9 and 14 to raise the forces required for the planned ESDP mission to Chad. With France providing half the force, the total pledged troop strength would be at the low end of the requirement for the mission. Potentially crippling shortfalls in helicopters and logistics remain. End summary. ¶2. (C) On November 9, the EU held another Force Generation Conference for its EUFOR Chad/RCA mission (full report transmitted electronically to EUR/ERA). This was the first official force generation conference since the Operation Commander, Irish LTG Patrick Nash, assumed his post and established force requirements. Another session took place November 14. If Member States are not more forthcoming today, there will likely be some "offensive tackling8 at the meeting of EU Chiefs of Defense (CHODS) on November 15 and the November 19 General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC). There is talk within the Council Secretariat and EU Military Staff about asking the French to SIPDIS provide more logistic support rather than maneuver units. Germany and the UK will not participate in the military mission. -------------- What has been pledged -------------- ¶3. (C) At the conference, there were pledges for three maneuver battalions of roughly 500 troops each (one French, one Polish and one Irish). The Swedes (200 troops),Finns (80-100) and Romanians (80-100) will each provide a company to augment the maneuver battalions. Special Forces units will be provided by Austria, France, Ireland and Belgium. Franc will provide aircraft for sorties with a smal Joint Forces Air Component (already in Cad),in support of, but not attached to the mission. Extremely limited tactical fixed-wing transport was offered by Spain and Greece. Each is considering offering an aircraft but with so many caveats that their utility will be limited. -------------- What they don,t have yet -------------- ¶4. (C) No helicopters were pledged. There was no offer of logistical support, except for a platoon of on-call air engineers. No Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), reconnaissance capabilities, intelligence capabilities, medical units or MEDIVAC were contributed. Given the environment, the size of the area of operations (AO),and absence of local infrastructure, the lack of tactical lift, helicopters, and logistical support would be a crippling shortfall for the mission. -------------- Mission Timeline -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The original Military Strategic Option called for 4,000 plus personnel to deploy incrementally. It is likely that the French will fill in many of the gaps in Force Generation, since they already have 1,300 troops on the ground that could be dual-hatted. Currently, the goal is to achieve initial operational capability (IOC) on 25 December with the French troops, with full operational capability (FOC) in mid-May. The EU has approved a 12 month mandate; the clock for this will begin at IOC. -------------- Mission Concept -------------- ¶6. (C) The mission is part of the greater Darfur framework with the following political-military objectives: Enable UN-trained Chadian police and UN police to deploy and operate in the refugee camps in Eastern Chad and Northern CAR; Enable BRUSSELS 00003346 002 OF 002 humanitarian organizations to provide support under secure conditions; Foster conditions required for voluntary return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to places of origin, especially in the Dar Sila region; Support the establishment of conditions necessary for the longer-term civilian reconstruction necessary for the return of IDPs; Increase the level of security for the civilian population, to include IDPs and refugees (Concept of Operations document transmitted to EUR/ERA).; Depending on Force Generation results, the scope of the mission could be reduced. Following what could be an uncomfortable GAERC, the Member States could start to offer more. Gray .