Analysis: EU, NATO face copter shortage

BRUSSELS, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- NATO and the European Union are struggling to find the necessary helicopters to sustain their missions.

NATO has been lobbying for months for more logistical contributions from its member countries to support the International Security Assistance Force Afghanistan. The shortage is thought to be one of the main causes of recent setbacks against a resurgent Taliban.

"We're beseeching, begging, doing everything we can to convince nations to contribute more rotary-wing aviation assets, both transport helicopters and attack helicopters," a Canadian NATO official told Aviation Week.

The EU's 3,700-strong force, which is about to be deployed to eastern Chad in order to protect 400,000 refugees who have spilled over from the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, is also desperate for helicopters.

According to the chairman of the EU's military committee, Gen. Henri Bentegeat, the mission is lacking 10 helicopters, a medical facility and several other logistical assets. But the force has been struggling to convince the 12 participating nations to commit the costly deployment of helicopters.

The bloc's 27 nations own some 1,200 helicopters among them, according to British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, whose country is not participating in the mission; yet only 35 are deployed in Afghanistan and none in Darfur. The shortage of helicopters is the biggest obstacle to success in those conflicts, but countries are reluctant to deploy them as the cost of maintenance can be astronomical.

The shortfall is likely to delay the EU deployment to Chad that was scheduled to start by the end of October and be fully operation by January. Bentegeat expressed optimism the helicopters would be found in time earlier this month, but the target dates are now unlikely to be met. EU envoys convened to try to solve the problem Tuesday but made no progress. It will now most likely be resolved at a Dec. 14 summit at the earliest.

With violence between government forces and rebels on the rise in eastern Chad and a warning from the rebels to the EU forces not to side with the Chadian government, which has openly welcomed the bloc's involvement, the EU is under increasing pressure to rise to the occasion, and a delayed deployment could be humiliating to the EU force.

The EU has pledged to remain neutral in the fight between the rebels and longtime Chadian President Idriss Deby. France's heavy involvement in the operation will be frowned upon by the rebels because of France's public support of Deby.

The impasse is further complicated by Britain's boycott of an initiative by the French to use common funds to offset costs incurred by participating nations. Britain argues that use of the EU's common funds would result in conscientious objectors paying for the mission.

As the situation in Darfur and eastern Chad worsens, the diplomatic tussle couldn't come at a worse time. The desperately needed protection for the nearly half million displaced refugees could take many more months to arrive. More bloodshed could be avoided if the EU forces come to the aid of rescue workers, who are having an increasingly hard time getting to the refugees because of the violence.

NATO has received several offers for logistical support for the helicopters as well as a proposal for a commonly funded revamping of about 20 Mil Mi-8 transport helicopters owned by the Czech Republic, which could then serve in the mission. The United States, which is already contributing 100 helicopters to the ISAF mission, is also thought to be on the verge of a proposal to alleviate the situation.

Operating in Afghanistan is simply not feasible without support from helicopters because of the lack of roads. The roads that do exist are too dangerous to operate on because of improvised explosive devices and Taliban ambushes, according to Dutch Maj. Gen. Ton van Loon, who commanded ISAF's 11,600-strong southern units.

"If we don't have the helicopters, we must admit defeat. It is unacceptable that a soldier dies because the medevac helicopter and its attack helicopter escort are not available," van Loon told a conference in The Hague.

The United States will be withdrawing its 100 helicopters, which have already been used longer than was originally planned, early next year. This has forced NATO to lease 20 commercial helicopters in order to maintain the supply route with the southern units. "The U.S. secretary of defense has told NATO to basically suck it up and take care of the problem. That's why we're chartering the commercial helicopters," the Canadian NATO source told Aviation Week.