French Navy press release – Translated by Naval News
The carrier strike group (CSG), centred around the Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier and comprising three French frigates, a supply ship, a submarine and several foreign escort vessels, set sail from Toulon today for the CLEMENCEAU 25 mission.
An aggregator of international forces by nature, the CSG will be reinforced in the Mediterranean Sea by allied frigates from Italy, the United States, Morocco and Greece. Over the past decade, more than thirty allied frigates and submarines have joined the ranks of the French CSG on operations. A genuine tool for naval superiority, power projection and autonomous situation assessment, the CSG will be deployed in a complex strategic environment. The deployment of this military capability underlines France’s commitment to freedom of action and freedom of movement at sea and in the air.
CLEMENCEAU 25 will develop interoperability and cooperation with partners and allies from the Mediterranean to the Pacific Ocean. This mission will also contribute to France’s capacity for autonomous situation assessment, which is essential for preventing crises and, if necessary, intervening.
During its deployment, the CSG will contribute to NATO’s defensive and deterrent posture in the Mediterranean and Europe. To the west of the Indian Ocean, it will be part of the annual VARUNA bilateral exercise to enhance interoperability between the French and Indian navies. To the east of the Indian Ocean, the group will lead the LA PEROUSE exercise, in cooperation with the navies of the countries bordering the Indonesian archipelago, on the theme of maritime security. Finally, the Charles De Gaulle and its escort will be sailing in the Pacific Ocean, notably for exercise PACIFIC STELLER, to increase interoperability with the US 7th Fleet.
France is deploying its Carrier Strike Group alongside its allies and strategic partners in the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific, areas of major interest for France, Europe and its partners. This mission, which is exceptional in terms of its duration and route, demonstrates France’s ability to deploy an agile, responsive, adaptable and autonomous military force far and wide.
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Naval News already reported about this deployment and latest details can be found here. Naval News also inteviewed the Rear Admiral Jacques Mallard – Commanding Officer of the Carrier Strike Group.
