Only 16 cells? Is it supposed to replace the FREMM?Infographic of Naval Group's Amiral Ronarc’h-class (Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention, FDI), future frigate of Marine Nationale
French Navy upgrade and discussion
- Thread starter Picdelamirand-oil
- Start date
The development of the M51.3, launched in 2014, is nearing completion and the challenge for the programme is the transition to the mass production of launchers. It should be understood that the 10th test firing of a Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) on 28 April 2021 from the DGA's Centre Essais de Lancement de Missiles (CELM) in Biscarrosse (Landes) was indeed a development firing of the M51.3. Once production was launched, the next step should be the constitution of a first batch and a synthesis firing that could be carried out at the beginning of the years 2023 to 2024 by Le Terrible, which was then leaving the IPER (2021 - 2023).
It was decided that the future vector of the oceanic component of the deterrent, in the perspective of the FMOD programme (Future Medium Oceanic Deterrent), which became a 3rd generation SSBN in 2013, would be an incremental evolution of the MSBS M51, instead of launching the "M6", as it was intended to be of much larger dimensions. This choice was justified by the interest of smoothing the budgetary flows and allowing a good conservation of industrial skills thanks to an incremental approach aiming at the replacement of a stage every 8 to 12 years (Laurent Collet-Billon, Délégué Général à l'Armement (28 July 2008 - 1 July 2017), hearing before the Defence and Armed Forces Commission, National Assembly, 30 April 2014).
The President of the Republic, Mr François Hollande, proclaimed his decision, on the occasion of his speech on deterrence, where he stated: "I have therefore also ensured, with regard to the oceanic component, to launch future adaptations of the M51 missile, to allow the tonnage of future submarines to remain very close to that of our Triumphant." (François Hollande, President of the Republic, Speech on nuclear deterrence - Visit to the strategic air forces. Istres, 19 February 2015).
At the strategic level, General Pierre de Villiers, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces (15 February 2014 - 19 July 2017) defined the operational objectives of the M51.3 before the National Assembly, stating that it should "maintain the capabilities of our oceanic component in the face of the most severe missile defences, and which will have to enter into service in the middle of the next decade when the M51.1 comes to the end of its life" (Hearing before the Committee on Defence and the Armed Forces, National Assembly, 6 May 2014).
On the industrial level, the DGA awarded the contract for the development and production of the M51.3 to ArianeGroup, which is the prime contractor for the M51 programme, in July 2014. Development work on this new version began in August 2014 and is scheduled to last 10 years, with a gradual increase in the volume of work related to its development. And this programme is closely linked, in terms of skills and therefore technological building blocks, to the Ariane VI programme.
The initial design phase of the M51.3 is said to have taken place between August 2014 and 2016. The detailed design phase would have started in 2016 and is expected to be completed in 2024. The main commitments in 2020 cover further development and production work on the M51.3 version.
In terms of capability, the M51.3 will benefit from an evolution of its payloads. This means that the Oceanic Nuclear Warhead (ONW), which entered into service in 2016, should coexist with or be replaced by the ONW 2, starting in 2025. New developments are also expected for the penetration aids which are located on the upper part of the MSBS. The third stage of the M51 is also expected to be renovated during the development of its third version. Indeed, the propulsion of this stage and its equipment are largely derived from the M45.
These material evolutions will make it possible to support the evolution of operational needs in terms of precision, flexibility of use, range and thus penetration of adversary defences: the M51.3 should happily exceed 10,000 km of range.
Improvements in range and accuracy will largely depend on the development of new Reentry Vehicles (RVs), which could therefore fall under the MaRV umbrella. The English-language open literature understands - without ever citing a source - that the TN-75 and its re-entry body had a mass of 230 kg, of which 115 kg was the warhead. The M51.2 brought a new upper part, as the M51.1 had inherited the one from the M45. The TNO, according to the above-mentioned literature, would have a mass of 500 to 550 kg, taking into account the re-entry body. The power rating of the TNO is regularly presented as 100, 150 or 300 kT.
The evolution of France's nuclear doctrine revealed in President Jacques Chirac's so-called "Ile Longue" speech (19 January 2006). He said that the ultimate warning to the adversary could be aimed at the "centres of power, at its capacity to act" and that in this perspective "all our nuclear forces have been configured in this spirit. It was with this in mind, for example, that the number of nuclear warheads was reduced on some of the missiles in our submarines.
Will the evolution of the "flexibility of use" contained in the M51.3 affect not the number of payloads, and thus the number of warheads, integrated into the third stage, but the nominal power of the TNO 2? Adapting the number of warheads is a first modulation of the delivered power and thus of the possibilities to deliver, for example, a "final warning". There would be two main ways to offer new flexibility in the proposal of options to restore deterrence: a frankly reduced power on some TNO 2s, constituting a sub-version; an adjustable power in the manner of the ASMP-A/ASMP-A RMV TNA (Airborne Nuclear Warheads).
It is therefore also expected to improve the penetration of adversary defences by carrying out work on other payloads: the Aides à LA Pénétration (ALAP). Their origins go back to the S3D and the M4. The TN-70 was not stealthy. Faced with the improvement of adversary defences, in particular in terms of radar coverage, the M4 71 was quickly put under study. The development of a jamming system was also envisaged for this one. A TN-75 with the advantages of stealth thanks to a very small Radar Equivalent Surface (RES) was developed. The Minister of Defence, André Giraud (20 March 1986 - 10 May 1988), suspended the work for several months. He was given proof that the three Soviet radar layers could identify and track the TN-75, despite its reduced SER: with the risk that ballistic missile defences could, in the long term, discriminate between them in order to intercept them. He decided to launch an upstream study programme in 1986: EBAP (Basic Studies of Penetration Aids), which followed on from EXHANP (High Altitude Expansion of a Chaff Cloud). Its results were integrated into the M45, whose entry into the realisation phase was decided at a Military Nuclear Committee, chaired by the new Minister of Defence, Mr Jean-Pierre Chevènement (12 May 1988 - 29 January 1991) in 1988. The successors to the ALAPs of the EBAP programme are not well detailed in the literature.
It is in this perspective that the 10th test firing of an M51 Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) should be assessed. Mrs Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces, expressed her great satisfaction after the success, on 28 April 2021, of what was also the 5th test firing from DGA Essais de Missiles in Biscarrosse (Landes), which appears to be destined to serve the development of the M51.3, which is expected to enter service by 2025.
This firing differs from the previous ones because it was not a qualification or validation firing for its implementation by a Le Triomphant-class SNLE-NG/SN2G (4). However, its trajectory presented in HYDROLANT 1140/21(GEN) showed some similarities, notably the fallout zones of the three stages of the missile, with the 9th firing of 12 June 2020, carried out as a validation firing of the IAM51 of the SNLE-NG/SN2G Le Téméraire (1999) launching from Audierne Bay. This 9th shot, here of an M51.2, had then travelled 6,000 km and reached a peak of 1,200 km against, and around, 5,500 km for the 10th shot.
Moreover, this invites us to reconsider the 9th firing because it took place nearly a year after the return to the operational cycle of the SNLE-NG Le Téméraire (1999), at the end of its IAM51. The SNLE could only be considered as operational, otherwise the patrols conducted would be null and void. Does this mean that this validation firing could also have been used to develop the M51.3?
But the 28 April 2021 firing also presented some intriguing facts, such as the fact that the trajectory of the three phases of flight (propulsion, ballistic and atmospheric re-entry) were not aligned with the target zone: so that the final phase of the flight until it reached the target zone appeared to be non-ballistic. This raises the question, in addition to the existence of manoeuvres, of their place of occurrence: from the end of the propulsion phase? During the outer space phase?
The trajectory of the 10th shot could have been the occasion for some work relating, for example, to 'lateral offset': this is the distance between the actual point of arrival on the ground of a spacecraft or payload that has had a phase of outer space flight and the vertical projection on the ground of the trajectory it would have followed in the absence of transverse aerodynamic effects. A Maneuverable Reentry Vehicle (MaRV) payload could have been used for this purpose.
The earlier the warheads are released, the more the adversary defences have to deal not with a high end but with multiple payloads, between the warheads and the penetration aids. This implied a capability for lateral offset of the upper part (Post-Boost Vehicle (PBV), according to the SALT II treaty term, or Payload Bus) or of one of its payloads.
Several hypotheses can therefore be combined:
The fact that the upper part could manoeuvre so that its payloads of the MIRV (Multiple Independently Targeted Reentry Vehicle) type, including the military payloads - Oceanic Nuclear Warheads (ONW) - could be placed on new independent trajectories, and off the launch axis, in order to reach the target zone.
Another hypothesis is that one of the payloads has intrinsic manoeuvrability, served by its own navigation system, and can therefore be described as a Maneuverable Reentry Vehicle (MaRV).
The detailed design phase is expected to be completed by August 2024, with a hypothetical slippage of the schedule from several weeks to several months depending on the possible consequences of the health crisis; difficulties arising during the design and development phases may also occur.
The publication of the above-mentioned job offer would mean, at the very least, that actions to improve production processes will be implemented. The second quarter or even the second half of 2022 would initiate the transition to serial production of the M51.3 MSBS. This would follow or precede the first "tests" at the various sites concerned.
As mentioned above (cf. remarks by Mr Laurent Collet-Billon, former Délégué Général à l'Armement (28 July 2008 - 1 July 2017), the transition from the M51.2 to the M51.3 does not consist of the production of a new batch of M51 MSBSs but of the replacement of one of the missile's elements by one or more new ones. In this context, it would be understood that new third stages will be machined, or even new payloads will be installed on the new upper part of the M51.2. The first batch of M51.3s would proceed from the assembly of these new elements on the occasion of the IPER exit (2021 - 2023) of the SN2G Le Terrible, which would then be in the power-up phase in order to return to the operational cycle. One of the three batches of M51 MSBS would then be made available thanks to the preparation for the entry into IPER of the SN2G Le Triomphant (2025?).
One of the major objectives - in addition to possible acceptance firings that could be carried out by the DGA's Centre Essais de Lancement de Missiles (CELM) at Biscarrosse (Landes) - will be the constitution of a complete batch of this new version and a synthesis or validation firing that could be carried out at the beginning of the years 2024 to 2025 by a SNLE. The fact that Le Terrible will then be out of IPER (2021-2023) seems to indicate that it is the ideal candidate for this firing: was it not the first SNLE-NG to fire the M51.1, on 27 January and 10 July 2010, as a prelude to its admission to active service?
The FDI frigates will replace the La Fayette frigates, and will complement the FREMMs.
But yes, 16 VLS is not much. Budgets, unfortunately.
The Greek FDIs are better armed.
In case additional equipment budgets are approved, possibilities of reinforcement of the armament are studied: addition of 16 MDCN (naval cruise missiles; Sylver A70 launchers); addition of 16 ASTER 15/30 missiles (Sylver A50 launchers); addition of VL-MICA-NG missiles (a priori 16 individual launchers).
#SSBN 3G
The DGA Hydrodynamic Techniques test and expertise centre, a reference in the field of numerical simulation at DGA, uses numerical calculation in CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) to predict certain performances of submarines & ships
Explanations in thread:
CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) is all the computational methods in fluid mechanics used to develop simulations. Experts use equations, which represent for example the flow of water along a #submarine
These equations are solved at given points, and the velocity, pressure, temperature, etc. are calculated. The more points there are, the more accurate the "mesh" and the more representative the calculations can be of reality. These points are called nodes or meshes.
The accuracy of the results of a numerical calculation in CFD depends, among other things, on the quality of the mesh used. A simulation with a large number of points requires much more computing power but provides more accurate results.
DGA Hydrodynamic Techniques has launched CFD calculations to predict certain performances of the future #SNLE 3G submarine with a 950 million mesh numerical model, a very large number that ensures extremely accurate results. /deepl
The DGA Hydrodynamic Techniques test and expertise centre, a reference in the field of numerical simulation at DGA, uses numerical calculation in CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) to predict certain performances of submarines & ships
Explanations in thread:
CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) is all the computational methods in fluid mechanics used to develop simulations. Experts use equations, which represent for example the flow of water along a #submarine
These equations are solved at given points, and the velocity, pressure, temperature, etc. are calculated. The more points there are, the more accurate the "mesh" and the more representative the calculations can be of reality. These points are called nodes or meshes.
The accuracy of the results of a numerical calculation in CFD depends, among other things, on the quality of the mesh used. A simulation with a large number of points requires much more computing power but provides more accurate results.
DGA Hydrodynamic Techniques has launched CFD calculations to predict certain performances of the future #SNLE 3G submarine with a 950 million mesh numerical model, a very large number that ensures extremely accurate results. /deepl
I (alongside other) did use ANSYS for simulating mixture of sea salt water with ground water.#SSBN 3G
The DGA Hydrodynamic Techniques test and expertise centre, a reference in the field of numerical simulation at DGA, uses numerical calculation in CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) to predict certain performances of submarines & ships
Explanations in thread:
CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) is all the computational methods in fluid mechanics used to develop simulations. Experts use equations, which represent for example the flow of water along a #submarine
These equations are solved at given points, and the velocity, pressure, temperature, etc. are calculated. The more points there are, the more accurate the "mesh" and the more representative the calculations can be of reality. These points are called nodes or meshes.
The accuracy of the results of a numerical calculation in CFD depends, among other things, on the quality of the mesh used. A simulation with a large number of points requires much more computing power but provides more accurate results.
DGA Hydrodynamic Techniques has launched CFD calculations to predict certain performances of the future #SNLE 3G submarine with a 950 million mesh numerical model, a very large number that ensures extremely accurate results. /deepl
When we analyzed/Compared ANSYS results with Results obtained from Experimental Scaled down model (1:50) , To put it mildly weren't accurate.
But then again we were Novice & using ANSYS Simulation for the First time.
The Jacques Chevallier, 1st of the 4 new force replenishment ships (BRF) of the
French Navy. The Jacques Chevallier started its acceptance trials off Saint-Nazaire on 25 January.
French Navy. The Jacques Chevallier started its acceptance trials off Saint-Nazaire on 25 January.
French Mission Jeanne D’Arc 2023 To Sail Across Indo-Pacific
(navalnews, feb.03)French Navy (Marine Nationale) Mistral-class LHD "Dixmude" and La Fayette-class frigate "La Fayette" will sail around the world and through the Indo-Pacific as they set sail next week for "MISSION JEANNE D'ARC 2023".
In a few days, the Jeanne d’Arc mission, composed of the LHD Dixmude and the FS La Fayette, will sail for a 5 month deployment, with nearly 800 sailors and soldiers on board, including 160 cadets from the Ecole Navale, the French naval academy.
Jeanne D’Arc
Jeanne D’Arc is an annual, long duration, and joint deployment which aim is to provide officer cadets with “at sea” operational training before joining their units as officers. The mission has three main objectives:- Train the future generations of French Navy officers
- Deploying operational capabilities in areas of strategic interest
- Interoperability and regional cooperation
It will call in Djibouti, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga, Tahiti, Clipperton, Mexico, Martinique and Guadeloupe.
The ARG will conduct a number of major exercises including:
- “La Pérouse” in the Indian Ocean with the US, Australia, Japan and India
- “Croix du Sud” off New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean with 15 nations
- France’s sovereignty in its overseas territories
- maintain the capacity for autonomous situation assessment
- strengthen cooperation and interoperability with its partners
Upgraded La Fayette Frigate with Sonar
Asked by Naval News about the presence of the La Fayette frigate following her mid-life upgrade , Captain Mocard explained:
Regarding the addition of a sonar system on the Frigate, Captain Mocard explained:
As we reported previously, the frigates received a KingKlip Mk2 hull-mounted medium-frequency sonar from Thales as part of the upgrade program. It is the same model selected for the FDI frigates. This ASW capability requires six additional specialized sailors who reinforces the crew of each frigate. /end
(flightglobal, feb.02)
A Rafale M at Singapore’s Paya Lebar air base after a 2,160nm non-stop flight from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle
(Source: French Embassy in Singapore)
A US Navy Super Hornet lands aboard Charles de Gaulle in 2020
Source: French navy
Cluzel’s remark about Singapore is a reference to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Leonardo M-346 advanced jet trainers based at France’s Cazaux air base.
Singapore was an essential part of the Rastaban effort, which involved three Rafale Ms launching from Charles de Gaulle in the western Indian Ocean and flying non-stop 2,160nm (4,000km) to Singapore. The mission was supported by an Airbus Defence & Space A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) from the French air force.
(Source: French navy)
Rafale Ms show off long reach, flexibility in Indo-Pacific
French naval airpower places a high priority on working with partners, including the extended deployment of fighters and cross-deck work with the US Navy (USN).
Rear Admiral Christophe Cluzel commands the French Carrier Strike Group (CSG) centred on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. The vessel and her escorts recently conducted exercises in the western Indian Ocean, which included a record-setting deployment of three Dassault Rafale M fighters to Southeast Asia in a mission named ‘Rastaban’.
Rear Admiral Christophe Cluzel commands the French Carrier Strike Group (CSG) centred on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. The vessel and her escorts recently conducted exercises in the western Indian Ocean, which included a record-setting deployment of three Dassault Rafale M fighters to Southeast Asia in a mission named ‘Rastaban’.
A Rafale M at Singapore’s Paya Lebar air base after a 2,160nm non-stop flight from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle
(Source: French Embassy in Singapore)
“Since the beginning of our deployment, we have coordinated our maritime and air operations with our allies and partners in the Mediterranean Sea as well as in the Red Sea and in the Indian Ocean,” says Cluzel.
This involved the incorporation of a USN destroyer into the French strike group, and coordination with the USN’s Carrier Strike Group 10, which is centred on the Nimitz-class carrier USS George H.W. Bush.
Cross-deck work with the Bush saw Rafales landing and taking off from the American vessel. Similarly, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and Grumman C-2 Greyhound transports conducted flight operations aboard Charles de Gaulle.
“We are used to operating with US carrier strike groups because we share the same expertise and our pilots are trained in the US,” says Cluzel.
“This creates a special bond between our pilots, and they share the same spirit with Singapore pilots trained in French air bases.”
This involved the incorporation of a USN destroyer into the French strike group, and coordination with the USN’s Carrier Strike Group 10, which is centred on the Nimitz-class carrier USS George H.W. Bush.
Cross-deck work with the Bush saw Rafales landing and taking off from the American vessel. Similarly, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and Grumman C-2 Greyhound transports conducted flight operations aboard Charles de Gaulle.
“We are used to operating with US carrier strike groups because we share the same expertise and our pilots are trained in the US,” says Cluzel.
“This creates a special bond between our pilots, and they share the same spirit with Singapore pilots trained in French air bases.”
A US Navy Super Hornet lands aboard Charles de Gaulle in 2020
Source: French navy
Singapore was an essential part of the Rastaban effort, which involved three Rafale Ms launching from Charles de Gaulle in the western Indian Ocean and flying non-stop 2,160nm (4,000km) to Singapore. The mission was supported by an Airbus Defence & Space A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) from the French air force.
(Source: French navy)
“The Rastaban manoeuvre is the furthest projection that the French navy has ever conducted from the sea,” says Cluzel.
“It proves how much the Rafale Marine operated by the French Navy is reliable to operate from the sea, in a large carrier strike group’s operation area as well as much further, with partners far beyond the CSG horizon.”
Following the fighters’ departure for Singapore, the carrier continued operations in the Indian Ocean, while the detached Rafale Ms conducted exercises with the RSAF.
This was the second deployment of Rafales to Singapore in recent months. During September 2022, three French air force Rafales visited Singapore as part of Mission Pegase 2022, a major French deployment to the region that included participation in Australia’s ‘Pitch Black’ exercise.
During the Rafale Ms’ stay in Singapore, they were supported by a logistics team sent from Landivsiiau Naval Air Station, the home base of all French Navy Rafale M fighters.
“We have to thank these guys and all the technicians working on the carrier,” says Cluzel. “Their dedication and expertise allow us to launch our aircraft daily. There are also other jobs involved in this manoeuvre, of course, and crew spirit plays a strong part in this shared success.”
Looking to the future, Cluzel says that the French navy is conducting experimental work with unmanned air vehicles. This looks at the potential threat they pose in the hands of adversaries, and the opportunities they can afford the French navy.
He adds that the adoption of unmanned systems generally is an initiative underway across the broader French military.
Cluzel also offers some insights into the future air wing of France’s next aircraft carrier, which is likely to replace the Charles de Gaulle some time in the late 2030s. Initially, an advanced version of the Rafale and the Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye will fly from the ship. Later, the air wing will incorporate the New Generation Fighter – also known as the Future Combat Air System – which will be fully integrated with unmanned ‘remote carrier’ loyal wingmen.
He adds that the French navy will continue to stress interoperability with Asia-Pacific partners such as Singapore, particularly amid the gloomy geopolitical environment.
“Flying with our RSAF friends is a proof of the high level of trust and interoperability that links Singapore and France, both nations of the Indo-Pacific area,” says Cluzel.
“This attention paid to the region and our close partners remains a priority after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting deterioration of the strategic environment in Europe and the Mediterranean.” /end
“It proves how much the Rafale Marine operated by the French Navy is reliable to operate from the sea, in a large carrier strike group’s operation area as well as much further, with partners far beyond the CSG horizon.”
Following the fighters’ departure for Singapore, the carrier continued operations in the Indian Ocean, while the detached Rafale Ms conducted exercises with the RSAF.
This was the second deployment of Rafales to Singapore in recent months. During September 2022, three French air force Rafales visited Singapore as part of Mission Pegase 2022, a major French deployment to the region that included participation in Australia’s ‘Pitch Black’ exercise.
During the Rafale Ms’ stay in Singapore, they were supported by a logistics team sent from Landivsiiau Naval Air Station, the home base of all French Navy Rafale M fighters.
“We have to thank these guys and all the technicians working on the carrier,” says Cluzel. “Their dedication and expertise allow us to launch our aircraft daily. There are also other jobs involved in this manoeuvre, of course, and crew spirit plays a strong part in this shared success.”
Looking to the future, Cluzel says that the French navy is conducting experimental work with unmanned air vehicles. This looks at the potential threat they pose in the hands of adversaries, and the opportunities they can afford the French navy.
He adds that the adoption of unmanned systems generally is an initiative underway across the broader French military.
Cluzel also offers some insights into the future air wing of France’s next aircraft carrier, which is likely to replace the Charles de Gaulle some time in the late 2030s. Initially, an advanced version of the Rafale and the Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye will fly from the ship. Later, the air wing will incorporate the New Generation Fighter – also known as the Future Combat Air System – which will be fully integrated with unmanned ‘remote carrier’ loyal wingmen.
He adds that the French navy will continue to stress interoperability with Asia-Pacific partners such as Singapore, particularly amid the gloomy geopolitical environment.
“Flying with our RSAF friends is a proof of the high level of trust and interoperability that links Singapore and France, both nations of the Indo-Pacific area,” says Cluzel.
“This attention paid to the region and our close partners remains a priority after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting deterioration of the strategic environment in Europe and the Mediterranean.” /end
The @French_CSG is taking part in the #ORION23 exercise! Rafales Marine and a FREMM simulated a combined cruise missile strike to destroy strategic Mercury sites in Arnland territory, in coordination with the @Armee_de_lair
The mission was coordinated from the air by an Awacs from the @Armee_de_lair and a Hawkeye from the naval air group. Coordination between all the components enabled the neutralization of the enemy's defense by saturating its air defense with a simultaneous arrival of missiles.
The mission was coordinated from the air by an Awacs from the @Armee_de_lair and a Hawkeye from the naval air group. Coordination between all the components enabled the neutralization of the enemy's defense by saturating its air defense with a simultaneous arrival of missiles.
[video] the units of the @French_CSG have just returned to their base port of @VilleDeToulon after +3 months of deployment, including part of the Central and Eastern Mediterranean under operational control @Cecmed_Off.
A look back at the main phases of the mission in pictures:
A look back at the main phases of the mission in pictures:
Paris et Londres vont se coordonner pour assurer une présence aéronavale européenne permanente en Indo-Pacifique
Paris and London to coordinate to ensure a permanent European naval air presence in the Indo-Pacific
BY LAURENT LAGNEAU - 10 MARCH 2023
Over the past five years, and despite the Lancaster House agreements signed in November 2010, Franco-British defence cooperation has had its ups and downs.
It is true that the Royal Air Force has agreed to support the Barkhane force with three CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters in Mali and the Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) has reached its full operational capability. Certainly, at the industrial level, the "One Complex Weapons" initiative launched in the field of missiles with the support of MBDA has come to fruition...
But, at the same time, other projects could not be completed, if not nipped in the bud. This was the case, for example, of the Telemos MALE [Medium Altitude Long Range] drone project, which was to be developed by BAE Systems and Dassault Aviation. Or the initiatives in the field of future air combat, where the French and British have finally taken different paths, the former with the SCAF, carried out in cooperation with Germany and Spain, the latter with the Tempest, which brings together the Italians and... the Japanese.
Other programmes have not progressed as quickly as hoped, such as the Future Anti-Ship Missile/Future Cruise Missile [FMAN-FMC], which is to replace the SCALP-EG missiles and the French Exocet and British Harpoon anti-ship missiles. This is due, in particular, to the turmoil of the AUKUS affair [and that of the Australian submarines].
The exchanges between President Macron and the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, on 10 March, were supposed to revive this defence cooperation between the two countries. But at the press conference given by the two leaders, few announcements were made [perhaps the final declaration will be more substantial...].
Thus, according to Mr Macron, it is a question of French and British forces "reinforcing [their] joint capabilities" and "working more on operational, technical and human interoperability".
On this point, the President of the Elysée Palace spoke of a "desire to move forward, with an ambitious timetable, on the future anti-ship missile and the future cruise missile, on the interoperability of our respective future air systems and in areas as different as the control of the seabed or directed energy weapons.
As far as the seabed is concerned, France and the United Kingdom are not starting from scratch, since both countries have conducted the Maritime Mines Counter Measures (MMCM) programme, which aims to renew their respective mine countermeasures capabilities using naval drones.
In addition, and no doubt in order to counter the German "European Skyshield" initiative launched in the Nato framework, Mr Macron spoke of "thinking about the terms of tomorrow's European security, with a legal framework and real capabilities for our missile protection" and "building what will have to happen after the decisions taken on New Start". Macron spoke of "thinking about the terms of tomorrow's European security, with a legal framework and real capabilities, for our anti-missile protection" and of "building what will have to happen after the decisions taken on New Start", i.e. the now moribund US-Russian disarmament treaty, following Moscow's decision to suspend its obligations.
For his part, and without going into detail, Mr. Sunak cited the same points as the French President... "Over the past decade, the United States and Russia have been in a state of crisis. Over the past decade, the UK and France have consistently been the first and second largest European contributors to Nato. We are the only European allies to be permanent members of the UN Security Council and the only nuclear powers in the region. The UK and France therefore have a responsibility to work together to ensure Europe's security," he began.
Prior to his visit to Paris, the British Prime Minister had been keen to point out that "beyond our immediate neighbourhood, the UK and France are also the most active European nations in the Indo-Pacific, a region that is crucial to our protection and prosperity, and whose security is inextricably linked to that of Europe.
Hence Mr Sunak's announcement of coordination between Paris and London to maintain a permanent European naval air presence in the Indo-Pacific region, with the aircraft carriers Charles de Gaulle and HMS Queen Elizabeth [or HMS Prince of Wales] obviously forming the "backbone".
Cooperation between the French Navy's air groups and the Royal Navy had been mentioned by Florence Parly and Ben Wallace, then French and British Defence Ministers, on the tenth anniversary of the Lancaster House agreements. A few months later, this resulted in the Gallic Strike 21 exercise, which brought together the Charles de Gaulle and the HMS Queen Elizabeth in the Mediterranean.
Here, it is a question of coordinating deployments, knowing that the French Navy can only field one aircraft carrier... This Franco-British cooperation will probably focus on the composition of the air and sea groups, with a French frigate likely to join the escort of HMS Queen Elizabeth [or HMS Prince of Wales] and vice versa.
Paris and London to coordinate to ensure a permanent European naval air presence in the Indo-Pacific
BY LAURENT LAGNEAU - 10 MARCH 2023
Over the past five years, and despite the Lancaster House agreements signed in November 2010, Franco-British defence cooperation has had its ups and downs.
It is true that the Royal Air Force has agreed to support the Barkhane force with three CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters in Mali and the Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) has reached its full operational capability. Certainly, at the industrial level, the "One Complex Weapons" initiative launched in the field of missiles with the support of MBDA has come to fruition...
But, at the same time, other projects could not be completed, if not nipped in the bud. This was the case, for example, of the Telemos MALE [Medium Altitude Long Range] drone project, which was to be developed by BAE Systems and Dassault Aviation. Or the initiatives in the field of future air combat, where the French and British have finally taken different paths, the former with the SCAF, carried out in cooperation with Germany and Spain, the latter with the Tempest, which brings together the Italians and... the Japanese.
Other programmes have not progressed as quickly as hoped, such as the Future Anti-Ship Missile/Future Cruise Missile [FMAN-FMC], which is to replace the SCALP-EG missiles and the French Exocet and British Harpoon anti-ship missiles. This is due, in particular, to the turmoil of the AUKUS affair [and that of the Australian submarines].
The exchanges between President Macron and the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, on 10 March, were supposed to revive this defence cooperation between the two countries. But at the press conference given by the two leaders, few announcements were made [perhaps the final declaration will be more substantial...].
Thus, according to Mr Macron, it is a question of French and British forces "reinforcing [their] joint capabilities" and "working more on operational, technical and human interoperability".
On this point, the President of the Elysée Palace spoke of a "desire to move forward, with an ambitious timetable, on the future anti-ship missile and the future cruise missile, on the interoperability of our respective future air systems and in areas as different as the control of the seabed or directed energy weapons.
As far as the seabed is concerned, France and the United Kingdom are not starting from scratch, since both countries have conducted the Maritime Mines Counter Measures (MMCM) programme, which aims to renew their respective mine countermeasures capabilities using naval drones.
In addition, and no doubt in order to counter the German "European Skyshield" initiative launched in the Nato framework, Mr Macron spoke of "thinking about the terms of tomorrow's European security, with a legal framework and real capabilities for our missile protection" and "building what will have to happen after the decisions taken on New Start". Macron spoke of "thinking about the terms of tomorrow's European security, with a legal framework and real capabilities, for our anti-missile protection" and of "building what will have to happen after the decisions taken on New Start", i.e. the now moribund US-Russian disarmament treaty, following Moscow's decision to suspend its obligations.
For his part, and without going into detail, Mr. Sunak cited the same points as the French President... "Over the past decade, the United States and Russia have been in a state of crisis. Over the past decade, the UK and France have consistently been the first and second largest European contributors to Nato. We are the only European allies to be permanent members of the UN Security Council and the only nuclear powers in the region. The UK and France therefore have a responsibility to work together to ensure Europe's security," he began.
Prior to his visit to Paris, the British Prime Minister had been keen to point out that "beyond our immediate neighbourhood, the UK and France are also the most active European nations in the Indo-Pacific, a region that is crucial to our protection and prosperity, and whose security is inextricably linked to that of Europe.
Hence Mr Sunak's announcement of coordination between Paris and London to maintain a permanent European naval air presence in the Indo-Pacific region, with the aircraft carriers Charles de Gaulle and HMS Queen Elizabeth [or HMS Prince of Wales] obviously forming the "backbone".
Cooperation between the French Navy's air groups and the Royal Navy had been mentioned by Florence Parly and Ben Wallace, then French and British Defence Ministers, on the tenth anniversary of the Lancaster House agreements. A few months later, this resulted in the Gallic Strike 21 exercise, which brought together the Charles de Gaulle and the HMS Queen Elizabeth in the Mediterranean.
Here, it is a question of coordinating deployments, knowing that the French Navy can only field one aircraft carrier... This Franco-British cooperation will probably focus on the composition of the air and sea groups, with a French frigate likely to join the escort of HMS Queen Elizabeth [or HMS Prince of Wales] and vice versa.
France will be warmly welcomed. ..BUT ..The ship is going to Townsville in Australia? Good luck with that. Geography is a French strength, is it.
(navalnews, feb.03)
French Mission Jeanne D’Arc 2023 To Sail Across Indo-Pacific
French Navy (Marine Nationale) Mistral-class LHD "Dixmude" and La Fayette-class frigate "La Fayette" will sail around the world and through the Indo-Pacific as they set sail next week for "MISSION JEANNE D'ARC 2023".
In a few days, the Jeanne d’Arc mission, composed of the LHD Dixmude and the FS La Fayette, will sail for a 5 month deployment, with nearly 800 sailors and soldiers on board, including 160 cadets from the Ecole Navale, the French naval academy.
Jeanne D’Arc
Jeanne D’Arc is an annual, long duration, and joint deployment which aim is to provide officer cadets with “at sea” operational training before joining their units as officers. The mission has three main objectives:
This year, the Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) will deploy from February 8, to mid-July from the Mediterranean homeport of Toulon. It will then conduct a “full circumnavigation” of the hearth: Sailing through the Suez Canal, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Malacca Strait, Java Sea, Arafura Sea, Coral Sea, Pacific Ocean, Panama Canal, Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
- Train the future generations of French Navy officers
- Deploying operational capabilities in areas of strategic interest
- Interoperability and regional cooperation
It will call in Djibouti, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga, Tahiti, Clipperton, Mexico, Martinique and Guadeloupe.
The ARG will conduct a number of major exercises including:
According to the French Navy, the mission will contribute to:
- “La Pérouse” in the Indian Ocean with the US, Australia, Japan and India
- “Croix du Sud” off New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean with 15 nations
During a media briefing held yesterday at the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, the Commanding Officer of the mission, Captain Emmanuel Mocard explained that the mission is a versatile tool to act in the aeromaritime domain, act in the “air land” domain from the sea, train officer of tomorrow, gather information and anticipate…
- France’s sovereignty in its overseas territories
- maintain the capacity for autonomous situation assessment
- strengthen cooperation and interoperability with its partners
Upgraded La Fayette Frigate with Sonar
Asked by Naval News about the presence of the La Fayette frigate following her mid-life upgrade , Captain Mocard explained:
Regarding the addition of a sonar system on the Frigate, Captain Mocard explained:
As we reported previously, the frigates received a KingKlip Mk2 hull-mounted medium-frequency sonar from Thales as part of the upgrade program. It is the same model selected for the FDI frigates. This ASW capability requires six additional specialized sailors who reinforces the crew of each frigate. /end