FRENCH NAVY PATROLS CRISIS ZONE

The Marine Nationale (French Navy) Aquitaine Class (FREMM) frigate FS Auvergne is seen here passing through Istanbul recently, after a three-week patrol in the Black Sea, which saw her frequently shadowed by Russian naval and air units.

The Auvergne’s presence was only the latest instance of the French fleet sending its vessels into the tense region, with the corvette FS Commandant Birot and intelligence-gathering ship FS Alize making their presence felt last year.

It is all part of extra-regional NATO navies doing their bit to provide reassurance to Alliance member states and security partners - in the latter case such Ukraine and Georgia - in the face of Russian aggression.

During her time in the Black Sea - and naval vessels from navies outside the region are, under the Montreux Treaty, only allowed to stay a maximum of 21 days - the Auvergne worked with the navies of Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey (all NATO allies).

The French Navy intends patrolling the Black Sea again this year. Vessels from a task group led by the nuclear-powered strike carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (CDG), which deployed this month (Feb) from Toulon for Mission Clemenceau 2022, are going to venture in there.

It is thought air and surface unit elements of Task Force 473 (as the French carrier group is also known), which are most likely to be a frigate and Rafale M jets, will be detached to operate in and over the Black Sea.

The situation remains extremely tense in the region, with fears of Moscow ordering an all-out invasion of Ukraine that could involve amphibious attack by the Russian Navy. For more reports on the Ukraine Crisis, see the March edition of WARSHIPS IFR (published 18.2.22) and watch out for posts on our web site - https://bit.ly/wifrsub

There is also a report on the French carrier strike group Mission Clemenceau 2022 deployment in the March edition of the magazine, which is available in both hard copy and digital versions.

Video: Courtesy of Cem Devrim Yaylali.

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