Mr. Chair, honourable members of the committee, I am pleased to be here today to discuss the Canadian Armed Forces contribution to operations in Mali.
My statement will focus on three main areas. I will begin by describing the Canadian Armed Forces mission in support of operations in Mali. I will then provide a timeline of key events associated with the Canadian Armed Forces contribution to this mission. Finally, I will give you some basic statistics highlighting the Canadian Armed Forces contribution and achievements to date in this mission.
The Canadian armed forces' mission is to provide strategic logistical support for France's efforts in Mali in support of our allies and to demonstrate the Government of Canada's support for the requirement to stabilize the situation in Mali. To achieve this mission, the Canadian armed forces is contributing one CC-177 Globemaster heavy-lift aircraft. This strategic lift capability, commonly referred to as a C-17, is helping the French transport military equipment and personnel between France and the Malian capital, Bamako.
The following timeline summarizes the key events pertaining to the Canadian Armed Forces contribution and, more specifically, the deployment of the C-17 transport aircraft in support of our French allies.
On January 14, the chief of the defence staff received a letter from the Minister of National Defence directing the Canadian armed forces to provide one C-17 transport aircraft, to support France's strategic lines of communication, for an initial period of one week.
The first flight of the C-17 transport aircraft from France to Bamako occurred on January 17. So the above-mentioned period when the Canadian Forces provided air mobility support ended on January 23.
The next day, the Government of Canada announced the extension of its air mobility support for an additional three weeks, bringing the total duration of this support to 30 days, with an end date for the mission of February 15.
Currently there are approximately 40 personnel from the Canadian armed forces deployed on this mission. They are operating from Le Tubé air base located in Istres, France. As of today, the C-17 transport aircraft has flown 13 missions and has moved over 775,000 pounds of cargo from France to Bamako, such as armoured vehicles, medical supplies and ammunition, as well as French military personnel.
For our C-17 to be deployed for one month, the projected full-cost estimate is $18.6 million. The incremental estimate is $11.7 million. Please note that the actual costs will only be available approximately 60 days after the full completion of the operation.
The C-17 transport aircraft has made a significant contribution to the transportation of essential supplies between France and Mali. Moreover, the success enjoyed by the Canadian Armed Forces during this mission has been underpinned by the efforts of our members, who have been working closely with their French counterparts to ensure seamless support throughout Canada's current commitment.
Thank you very much.