Aircraft carrier FS Charles De Gaulle (R91) made a port visit to the Philippines on Friday and Saturday after conducting drills in the South China Sea with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Also on Friday, the French Armed Forces in New Caledonia command said that from Feb. 15-16, its forces had shadowed a People’s Liberation Army Navy task group that is now currently operating in the Tasman Sea.
In other developments, Marine Rotational Force – Southeast Asia (MRF-SEA) will join other Marine Corps units to participate in the U.S.-Thailand-hosted multilateral exercise Cobra Gold 2025 that begins on Tuesday, according to an MRF-SEA statement provided to USNI News.
Charles De Gaulle, destroyer FS Forbin (D620), frigates FS Provence (D652) and FS Alsace (D656) and fleet oiler FS Jacques Chevallier (A725) sailed with frigate BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), offshore patrol vessel BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PS-15), a C-90 patrol aircraft, three Philippine Air Force (PAF) FA-50PH light jet fighters, and PAF search-and-rescue units in the West Philippine Sea, according to an AFP release.
The release said the drills were the AFP’s third consecutive week of joint maritime activities in the West Philippine Sea.
The Philippines had earlier conducted exercises on Feb. 5 with Jose Rizal drilling with U.S. guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 47, Royal Australian Navy (RAN) destroyer HMAS Hobart (DDG-39) and the Japan Maritime Self Defense-Force (JMSDF) destroyer JS Akizuki (DD-115) and on Feb. 12 with offshore patrol vessel BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS17) drilling with Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Ottawa (FFH-341), while the United States was involved in the planning and pre-sail conference, as well as monitoring the activity. PLAN frigate CNS Dali (553) shadowed the Feb.5 drill, based on U.S. Navy photos.
Friday’s drills were the first that France has carried out with the Philippines along with Charles De Gaulle also making its first port visit to the country, docking in at Subic Bay along with Forbin and Jacques Chevallier in Subic Bay while Provence and Alsace docked in Manila.
During a Sunday press conference, French CSG commander Rear Adm. Jacques Mallard clarified the French CSG deployment was not a provocation against any country but simply an exercise of its freedom to sail in the region, according to a Philippine News Agency report.
“It is absolutely not directed to anybody. We are building mutual knowledge, we are building experience on the area, and we are constructing bonds,” said Mallard according to the report, “We are mostly here because there is a free and open area to sail in. And we are here to use this right of common space to make sure that this space stays common.”
The French CSG is on an Indo-Pacific deployment, Mission Clemenceau 25, it carried out Exercise Pacific Steller 2025 from Feb.10-18 in the Celebes Sea and Philippine Sea with the Carl Vinson CSG and JMSDF destroyer carrier JS Kaga (DDH-184) and is now on the homeward bound leg of its deployment which includes carrying out the bilateral French-India exercise Varuna 2025 while en-route back to France. A nuclear powered attack submarine is part of the CSG but nothing has been disclosed in regards to its presence and activities, two French Navy Atlantique 2 Maritime Patrol Aircraft have been deployed to support the CSG in the region, and have been based at Clark Air Base, Luzon since Feb. 5, according to a French embassy release.
On Friday, the French Armed Forces in New Caledonia (FANC) command disclosed that its forces shadowed a PLAN task group comprising of cruiser CNS Zunyi (107), frigate CNS Hengyang (568) and fleet oiler CNS Weishanhu (887) from Feb. 15-16 while the task group was west of the French EEZ around New Caledonia, stating that the FANC, followed the transit of the task group with a F200 Guardian reconnaissance aircraft that made several flights and patrol craft FS D’Entrecasteaux (A621) adding that professional radio contacts took place between the French units and Chinese ships, “This follow-up has been carried out in close coordination with the Australian and New Zealand partner armed forces which once again illustrates the excellence of cooperation between these three armed forces in the service of security and stability in Oceania,” read the release.
The PLAN task group is currently operating in the Tasman Sea with China Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Snr. Col Wu Qian on Sunday pushing back against Australia’s complaint that China had not provided adequate advance notification of the task group’s live firing drills.
“The Chinese naval fleet’s training area is far from the Australian coastline and is completely in international waters. During the exercise, China organized live-fire training of naval guns against the sea on the basis of repeatedly issuing safety notices in advance. China’s actions are in full compliance with international law and international practices and will not affect aviation safety. Australia, fully aware of this, made unreasonable accusations against China and deliberately exaggerated the situation. We are deeply surprised and strongly dissatisfied with this,” said Wu in an MND release.
In other developments, MRF-SEA will participate in Exercise Cobra Gold 2025, from Feb. 25-Mar.7, according to a Monday statement by the unit to USNI News, “As part of the United States Marine Corps forces in the exercise, MRF-SEA is joined by U.S. Marines from various units, including 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division; Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadrons 152 and 153, 1st Marine Air Wing; and 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group”, read the statement.
It also said that throughout the exercise, USMARFOR units will conduct numerous expert-lead training exchanges, humanitarian civic assistance projects, and a field training exercise covering jungle survival techniques, military operations on urban terrain (MOUT), and multinational live-fire events. Additionally, U.S. Marines will train in non-combatant evacuation operations; chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) response; and tactical combat casualty care, “Approximately 300 U.S. Marines will train alongside members of the Royal Thai Marine Corps, Republic of Korea Marine Corps, and other allied and partner forces, demonstrating the U.S. commitment to regional security and cooperation.”
