Denmark has deployed two EH101 transport helicopters and up to 70 personnel to the France-led operation Barkhane in the Sahel region. The helicopters landed in Mali earlier this week.
The year-long deployment marks the first time Denmark is contributing to the mission.
Danish soldiers will support the French-led efforts in the Sahel region with transport tasks of personnel and goods. Operation Barkhane consists of approximately 4,500 personnel and is aimed at suppressing terrorism in the region.
While this is Denmark’s first contribution to the Barkhane mission, it is not the first time the two countries are working together on international missions. From 1999 to 2014, the Danish Army was integrated with the French force in Kosovo. in 2013, Denmark deployed a C130 transport aircraft to operation Serval, while earlier this year, navy frigate HDMS Niels Juel was deployed together with the French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle in the Indian Ocean.
“The EH101 helicopter has a large transport capacity and will make a difference in operation Barkhane. At the same time, it will make everyday life more secure and flexible for the soldiers on the ground, because it is significantly more dangerous to transport on land than in the air,” Danish Air Force Colonel Lieutenant Martin Birkedahl Nielsen said.
