Ah drats, so that's not a matter of distances. Fair enough then. So much for having a forward base the same distance as Ascension, damn it.
And now, something funny: France ALSO brought Tucanos from Brazil, except in the mid-1990's. And the experience was not exactly a good one, the aircraft were retired only 15 years later.
Now, the Fouga Magisters were already quite old in the ealry 1980's, and Alphajets couldn't do everything. Maybe a Tucano deal in exchange for overflights across Brazilian airspace ?
Note that C-135FR and Atlantique 2 have such ranges, they can probably fly around Brazil airspace on the way to the Falklands.
Hence French Guyana can still be used as a forward base for C-135FR, Atlantique 2 and ships - Ascension style - but taking into account that Brazilian overflight issue.
But is it really an issue ? not quite. Since Mirage IVs or Jaguars can't do any Black Buck, hence the AdA is out of the fight... maybe those overflights are not needed in the end.
We discussed the navy transport and logistics issues, but the Armée de l'Air air bridge toward Guyana would face similar issues. Because the bulk of transport squadrons was Transalls - C-130s only came in the late 1980's. Plus a couple of DC-8s, and that's it.
Maybe Air France 747-200F could help, they were used to support Arianespace launch campaigns - so they know their way to Cayenne airport.
[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.airfleets.fr/flottecie/Air%20France-history-b747-0-typedesc.htm[/URL]
20887 245 747-228F/SCD F-BPVO 01/04/1982
21255 295 747-228F/SCD F-BPVR 13/10/1976
21787 398 747-228F/SCD F-BPVZ 18/09/1979
21576 334 747-228F F-BPVV 09/08/1978
I would say French Guyana would be prefered to Senegal or Ivory Coast, for the following reasons.
- it is a French territory (no political problems)
- with much, much better infrastructures
- better security too (don't forget the Argies had plans to bomb Gibraltar with commandos, if they can reach as far as Europe, then Africa is a softer and closer target).
