Adm. Pierre Vandier. French Navy Photo
This post has been updated to correct the planned tonnage of France’s new carrier. The carrier is planned to be 80,000 tons.
The French Navy is only now starting to recover from 30 years of deep budget cuts that saw its fleet size halved, its senior admiral said Monday. Read More
French Defense Ministry Photo
KUALA LUMPUR – The French Navy started a major force-on-force operational readiness exercise called POLARIS 21 on Thursday in the western Mediterranean. Read More
An MV-22 Osprey from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 takes off from French amphibious ship FS Tonnerre on June 28, 2019, during exercise Semper Thunder at Camp Lejeune, N.C. USNI News photo.
KUALA LUMPUR – The French Army and Navy last week completed the Cormoran 21 exercise after more than two weeks of drills in the Mediterranean. Read More
A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force CH-47 helicopter lands on LPD FS Tonnerre (L9104) during the Jeanne D’Arc 2021 exercise in Japan. French Armed Forces Photo
KUALA LUMPUR – As France’s Jeanne D’Arc deployment nears its conclusion, the French are looking to continue high-end operations in the Indo-Pacific region, according to two French officials in command of the deployment. Read More
San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans (LPD-18), joined by the Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac-class frigate HMAS Parramatta (FFH-154), the French Navy’s amphibious assault helicopter carrier FS Tonnerre (L9014), and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Ōsumi class tank landing ship JS Ōsumi, transit together during exercise Jeanne D’Arc 21 (ARC-21), off the coast of Kagoshima, Japan on May 14, 2021. US Marine Corps.
KUALA LUMPUR – Joint drills between allies in Japan between the U.S., Japanese, French and Australian navies helped the countries better understand how they can operate together in the Indo-Pacific, two U.S. officials leading the exercise. Read More
American, Japanese, French and Australian commanders salute their respective flags during the opening ceremony for exercise Jeanne D’Arc 21, in Camp Ainoura, Sasebo, Japan, May 11th, 2021. ARC-21 is an opportunity for US, French, Japanese, and Australian forces to share experiences, tactics, and best practices to sharpen their skills together. US Marine Corps Photo
The United States, Japan, France and Australia began their joint training exercise Jeanne D’Arc 21 in the Indo-Pacific region this week. Read More
Charles De Gaulle – The carrier FS Charles De Gaulle (R91) docked at Changi Naval Base during its 2019 deployment to the region Photo by Dzirhan Mahadzir
KUALA LUMPUR – Far from France, Rear Adm. Jean-Mathieu Rey, Joint Commander French Armed Forces in the Asia-Pacific (ALPACI), is responsible for French security interests in the Indo-Pacific – an area of the world that’s growing in complexity as tensions between the U.S. and China continue to build, he told USNI News. Read More
U.S. Navy Ensign Micael Lozano, left, and Lt. Erik Bohman observe (from left to right) HMAS Anzac, IN Satpura, and FS Tonnerre from the bridge wing of the amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) during La Perouse 2021. US Navy Photo
Amphibious warship USS Somerset (LPD-25) joined ships and aircraft from five countries in the Bay of Bengal last week for a multi-lateral exercise designed to help the navies quickly organize and operate as an integrated, combined maritime force. Read More
An American MV-22 Osprey from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 lands on French amphibious ship FS Tonnerre on June 28, 2019, during the Semper Thunder exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C. USNI News photo.
France earlier this week dispatched one of its amphibious ships to assist Lebanon following a deadly explosion in Beirut. Read More
French Navy Photo
French President Emmanuel Macron announced Wednesday that French Navy Mistral-class LHDs Mistral (L9013) and Dixmude (L9015) will be deployed to Reunion Island and the Caribbean in support of the Coronavirus relief efforts. These new deployments will take place as part of the new operation “Résilience”. Read More
