Figure 3: Doctor’s backpack for static line jump Last the Armed forces blood transfusion center created a over Niger (2015). kit that can be dropped with fresh blood and lyophilised plasma. The objective is to supply by air an isolated41 surgical unit. CONCLUSION Regarding the 67 airborne operations, medical support has clearly been shown to be essential. It must be analy- zed with the commanding officers during the operations planning phase. The added value of doctor and nurse is that they can prevent or delay medical evacuations that could compromise the operation beginning. The MHS must continue to train its personnel so as to maintain their know-how and know how to be (opera- tional capacities) in order to be able to meet all the requests of the armed forces in the domain of 3rd dimension medical support. Similarly, at the medical level, the AMC and the analysis of parachuting acci- dents must be the subject of regular studies so as to be able to propose avenues for improvement. A technical watch on the miniaturization and lightening of the medical materials must be maintained. Role 1 materials drops must be continued and formalized and the AST must be made lighter. The number of the wounded during these jumps is quite acceptable. It is possible to suggest improvements such as practicing training jumps in operational condi- adapted for each mission to the specific constraints in tions at night with reserve parachutes opening and to terms of isolation, weight/volume, and foreseeable pay particular attention to the tandem passengers who duration3, 29 are very vulnerable during landing. . During training the drop of a MP has been validated6 SUMMARY in its entirety for 20m and 3 tons. The Initial deploy-3 ment medical supply could ensure the support of 200 Introduction: men for 2 to 7 days and was dropped several times French armed forces conduct airborne operations since during training. It made medical material available the Indochina war. The involvement of French troop in the Sahel region, has shown the importance of the 3rd during the initial phase for an acceptable dimension and multiplied the number of combat jump. volume/weight (2m, 250kg).3 The next acqustio of Few papers deal with medical support of airborne all-terrain vehicles will solve the problem presented by operation. the transport of material on ground. The droppable Role 2: airborne surgical team This paper proposes a report on 50 years of French armed forces airborne operations,from a medical The alert module of the 11thairborne brigade (around point of view, so as to be able to learn from them and 650 men) includes an airborne surgical team to insure continue to offer the quality of support required to the surgical support of the paratroopers dropped. launch risky operations while ensuring a maximum Today, because of the unfavourable weight/volume security. ratio, it cannot be dropped. Lightening work is in pro- gress to give it back a droppable capability. It will allow Materials and Methods: a total autonomy to airborne troops with the possibi- All the airborne operations carried out by the French lity of waiting 2 or 3 days before an air evacuation. Airborne brigade and Special forces between January 1st1967 and December 31 st2017 have been analysed The « Resuscitative surgery module » is close to Golden regardless of the jump technic (static line, military free hour offset surgical treatment teams or Expeditionary fall). resuscitative surgical team, a real miniature operating room with a small team for damage control surgery This analyse is by the means chains of command and resuscitation on 2 wounded. It was conceived to be reports, articles, and mainly the verbatim accounts of VOL. dropped but remains dedicated to very small teams in the doctors and military personnel who took part in the 94/3 direct action missions. operations. International Review of the Armed Forces Medical Services 14 Revue Internationale des Services de Santé des Forces Armées