USNI News – The French Carrier Strike Group is spearheading the French Navy-led multinational biennial exercise La Perouse 25 that began on Thursday across three critical maritime passages in South East Asia.

The War Zone – French Navy Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft was illuminated by the fire-control radar of a Russian long-range air defense system, while flying over the Baltic Sea earlier this week, according to France’s Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu.

Naval News – The multinational La Perouse exercise, which takes place every two years, has begun in the eastern Indian Ocean around the Indonesian archipelago. Nine French allied and partner navies are participating. The focus is to train to secure strategic sea lines of communication in the Indo-Pacific.

Naval News – Every October, budget for the French Armed Forces is updated and voted depending on the needs, the international context and the national budget situation. However, following a vote of no-confidence for the preceding government, there is now a lot of uncertainty regarding what the French military (and its navy) may expect for 2025 and beyond.

USNI News – The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is back in the South China Sea following a port visit to Port Klang, Malaysia. Meanwhile, the French Carrier Strike Group is now operating in the Indian Ocean.

Defense News – Rear Adm. Jacques Mallard has led the French carrier strike group (FRSTRIKEFOR) since August 2023, focusing his efforts on enhancing how the naval formation shares information and trains in realistic battle conditions. In an interview during the Euronaval Talks, organized in the context of the Euronaval show in Paris earlier this month, Mallard commented on the new types of environments and competitors the strike group is up against, the complexities of applying lessons learned after missions, and feedback from a recent exercise with the Italian Navy.

USNI News – French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R91) will deploy to the Indo-Pacific by the end of the year with the deployment named Mission Clemenceau 25. The French CSG will carry out operational missions around the Red Sea before moving on to the Indo-Pacific where it will carry out three major exercises with allies.

USNI News – French aircraft carrier FS Charles De Gaulle (R91) is preparing to deploy, according to a French Navy release. Meanwhile the Italian Navy Cavour Carrier Strike Group has wrapped up a five-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific, arriving home in Taranto on Oct. 30.

Defense News – The pace of change in maritime warfare requires Western navies to innovate faster and work more intimately with industrial partners to defeat evolving threats, the heads of the French and U.K. navies said.

European Defense Review – Capable to perform different types of mission, depending on its payload, the BlackBird, under development by Alseamar, exploits the capabilities of the company X-SUB expendable buoys to increase the boat captain situational awareness

(Thanks to Alain)

Navy Lookout – Here we look at the French Navy’s ambitious project to construct a 75,000-tonne nuclear-powered, conventional aircraft carrier for delivery in the late 2030s.

Naval News – The French Navy’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is set to depart for a major and long deployment to the Indo-Pacific. Dubbed “Clemenceau 25”, the mission is expected to set sail this month.

The War Zone – The first of France’s Defense and Intervention Frigates is a new-generation multi-mission warship that features an inverted bow.

Defense News –  The French Navy has ordered an autonomous underwater vehicle from Exail that will surveil critical infrastructure at depths of up to 6,000 meters.

Naval News – A French Navy Horizon type air defense destroyer successfully intercepted a USV attempting to attack a tanker in the Red Sea.

USNI News – French Navy frigate FS Bretagne (D655) is carrying out the second phase of its Indo-Pacific deployment starting with drills with the U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) after conducting a crew swap in Japan. Meanwhile, submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS-39) is preparing to carry out a joint maintenance effort with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine when it arrives in Australia, as part of AUKUS Pillar 1.

Naval News – The French Navy is aiming to achieve initial operational capability for seabed warfare in 2026. Within this capability development process, it is already implementing seabed-focused activities in advanced national operations and bilateral exercises.

The War Zone – The French frigate Alsace faced “uninhibited violence” from the Houthis via waves of drones and ballistic missile attacks.

Naval News – Aircraft Carrier Charles de Gaulle and her escort are to set course mainly for the Eastern Mediterranean and will be operating under NATO command for the first time.

Naval News – Rear Admiral Chetaille tells Naval News about the French Navy’s seabed warfare strategy and the steps to build this key capability.

Naval News – Surveillance frigate arrived spoofing a commercial vessel and hiding her pennant number…

Naval News – A French Navy FREMM frigate successfully intercepted three ballistic missiles in the Red Sea.

Naval News – France’s future maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) must deliver multi-mission capability and greater capacity. The new MPA must also be in service by 2035, according to a French naval maritime patrol officer and subject matter expert.

War on the Rocks – French Navy Adm. Raoul Castex (1878–1968) is the greatest naval strategist you probably never heard of.

The War Zone – Allied warships and aircraft repulsed a mass drone attack in the Red Sea, but it’s still an ominous sign that the Houthis aren’t backing down.