[TeleStraightShooter]

it was France's first large airborne operation since 1978,
????

I thought a French Airborne Divison was involved in Operation Desert Storm

Pehaps they were just flying around in helicopters in 1991,
-before they switched to Saddam's side in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

[TeleStraightShooter]

Thanks, that clarifies it more;
So they did not have an airborne divison employed - it was the job of the French 6th Light Div to screen the northern flank of all sheep and goats. I would conjecture they untilized helicopters to help in that, unlike the 101st that untilized helicopters to move the whole force into Al Samawah.