French Navy: A record level of activity
07/04/2011
With up to 7000 men and women at sea, the French navy is currently showing a record level of activity. Pacific to the Indian Ocean through the Mediterranean, the Caribbean or the Atlantic, the surface fleet, the submarine force and naval aviation are on deck to the four corners of the planet. In 2010 already, the activity was very strong, a historic peak being registered on December 19 with 42 ships and 6,090 men to the sea, But with the launch of Operation Harmattan in Libya last month, the record has been largely defeated. Thus, on March 23, the Naval Action Force, which comprises units of the surface Navy, accounted 58 vessels at sea, including 39 deployed oversea, 6716 or marine (5176 extended) mobilized. There are also the tasks assigned to submarines (nuclear deterrence, maritime security approaches, escort, ...), whose intelligence deployments remain confidential in nature, like the navy commando operations, found the Afghan theater or on the African continent. As for naval aviation, it also was not idle. The air group on board the Charles de Gaulle has 10 Rafale, 10 SEM and 2 Hawkeye, not to mention the helicopters from the aircraft carrier and those of other buildings in the battle group units or helicopter carrier sailing under other latitudes. Maritime patrol fleets are also stretched, involved in particular, in addition to hexagonal approaches, the Mediterranean, Africa and Indian Ocean. As for aircraft based in France, they are still active, including helicopters for rescue missions.
The carrier battle group (©: NAVY)
To date, the main area of "‹"‹operations the Navy is obviously in Libya, where France is involved in an international coalition under resolution 1973 Security Council of the UN. Around the Charles de Gaulle are deployed frigates Forbin, Dupleix, Jean Bart and Aconite, and a nuclear submarine attack and the replenishment tanker Meuse, which provides logistical support and thus enables the CSG to continue its operations over time.
The other major area of "‹"‹activity of the French fleet is located in the Indian Ocean. It includes the building of Mistral Projection and Command, and the frigate Georges Leygues, which participate in the second edition of the mission Jeanne d'Arc. The fight against piracy off the Horn of Africa is particularly provided by the surveillance frigates based in La Réunion (not to mention the Marines integrated protection teams on board the French military ships). While the frigate Hénaff sailed to the Indian Ocean, the frigate Guépratte involved in the fight against terrorism in the CTF 150, the command of Somali anti-piracy is given to France from April 4 by Admiral Kerignard, who runs the operations from the command ship and refueling Somme.
The Guépratte escorting a merchant ship (©: NAVY)
Meanwhile, discreetly, buildings based in the Caribbean are committed against drug traffickers. Thus, the frigate Ventôse intercepted in late March, a boat carrying 2.5 tons of cocaine, 3.6 tons seized in addition to a few weeks earlier by the Germinal. These actions against drug trafficking, conducted with other governments and international cooperation are also the responsibility of units cruising off the French coast, notably in the Mediterranean, where hunting of fast-boats continues.
Finally, note the presence in West Africa, transport landing craft Lightning. Currently deployed highbush, Foudre class, with large capacity aircraft, amphibious, and command hospital, is clearly ready to assist the Licorne force deployed in Ivory Coast. It is obviously very difficult to detail the activity of all the French ships at sea, but the small patrol boat to the aircraft carrier, through the tug and building projection, the Navy has in recent weeks, implemented much of its capabilities. It is also, somewhere, a feat since, despite the cuts in budgets and reductions in size in men and material, the French fleet comes to carrying out very diverse, geographically very remote and require the use of the most diverse tools.
http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=115847
