in 2010 the uk conservative-liberal democrat coalition government's strategic defence and security review announced its intention to "withdraw the sentinel airborne ground surveillance aircraft once it is no longer required to support operations in afghanistan." sentinel has supported the british army in afghanistan. one sentinel aircraft was deployed to assist french forces in mali on 25 january 2013. the 2010 decision was reversed in 2014 by prime minister david cameron and in the 2015 sdsr, the british government announced that the type's retirement would be delayed and that it would remain in service "into the next decade".