Lack of U.N. air power endangers Congo civilians. Can Canada help?

Last Sunday, the UN head of Peacekeeping Alain LeRoy said that the lack of much needed aircraft that U.N. member states were meant to donate has hampered the ability of a Congo peacekeeping force to protect civilians.

"We are still lacking, I think, 16 military helicopters. And we are still lacking a C-130. We are requesting that from many member states," Alain Le Roy told Reuters during a visit to the central African nation.
"In the protection of civilians, the key is mobility. And mobility in this country, where there are no roads, is by air," Le Roy said.

Would Canada be in a position to help MONUC with much needed tactical airlift?

In the past, Canada did use its C-130 Hercules fleet to help UN peacekeeping missions. In 1994, during operation Scotch, Canada's C-130 Hercules did 312 humanitarian aid flights to Kigali Rwanda or to Goma Zaire to deploy 1 Canadian Division Headquarters and a Signal Regiment to UNAMIR.

While Canada's ageing fleet of 23 C-130 Hercules is in high-demand in Afghanistan where it performs some critical tasks, its size is set to increase starting in the winter of 2010. Lockheed Martin will be shipping the first of 17 new C-130J 'Super Hurcules' planes to the Canadian Air Force as part of a 1.4 billion cargo plane deal with the Canadian government in January 2008. 

Some of those new C-130J 'Super Hercules' will undoubtedly be replacing older models currently operating in Afghanistan but with the scheduled end of Canada's combat operations in Afghanistan set for 2011, Canada could possibly free up one of its older C-130 Hercules to offer some much needed help to MONUC.

The Canadian government recently decided to strengthen the capacity of UNAMID by providing 24 armoured vehicles to African troops participating in the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur. It is also providing equipment and basic operator and maintenance training as part of a package valued at over $35 million.

MONUC needs the contribution from countries with advanced military capabilities to increase its mobility. Canada, with its recent equipment contribution to UNAMID and with its new fleet of Hercules C-130J has the equipment, the capacity and the experience in peacekeeping to help MONUC boost its air power.