Les Faucons Belges au-dessus de l’Afghanistan – Benoît Denet

Description

This book is in French language.

This 170-page book, illustrated with more than 180 photos, size 23,5cm x 23,5 cm is perfect to explain the longest external operation of our F-16. It is also in direct contact with other external missions led by Belgian pilots such as in Libya, Kosovo and the Iraqi-Syrian conflict.

As I flew over Afghanistan, I became aware of the harshness of the landscape. It is composed of 7,000 meters high mountains and arid plains.The continental climate brings here and there patches of greenery surrounding some villages at the foot of the hills while far from the snowy summits remain despite the summer already well settled.

But what did the Belgian F-16s come to do here? I asked myself this question from my first steps in this distant country in 2008. Looking at the pictures taken in flight by an F-16 pilot, I found that they deserved to be commented on and I wanted to share them with the staff of the Component. They had so many interesting things to say!

By placing the reader within the enemy air operation itself, the book traces the two deployments over more than six years in Afghanistan. Among other things, it evokes the everyday life, the feeling of the pilots, the political aspect as well as the rules of engagement.

Since its presentation, the book has received numerous testimonies of recognition of its quality and content by the professionals involved in these operations.

This book will satisfy all aviation enthusiasts on these far-flung deployments far too little known.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Afghanistan
• Chapter 2: The Political Mandate and the Chain of Command
• Chapter 3: Operation Eastern Eagle
• Chapter 4: Operation Guardian Falcon
• Chapter 5: With a JTAC
• Chapter 6: Combat Missions
• Chapter 7: Air refuelling
• Chapter 8: The F-16
• Chapter 9: The anecdotes

A few words about the author:

Benoît Denet is a 47-year-old photographer-journalist specializing in aeronautics. He collaborates with various foreign magazines such as Aviation Week, Air Forces Monthly, Air International, Helico Revue, … for many years now.

In June 2019, he won the award for my best image at the Aerospace Media Award in Paris. He is also the author of several exhibitions of aeronautical photographs in Belgium (SHAPE, Florennes AFB, Antwerp Airport). He was also involved in the development of various aeronautical works.