France preparing for naval warfare, rear-admiral says The French #Navy is preparing for potential military operations amid growing risks of an armed conflict, Rear Admiral Jacques Mallard, the commander of France’s carrier battle group, said. The French navy is shifting its training away from a focus on policing operations to gird for war against foes who want "to destroy us," he told Politico. "We now train for other missions, in particular what we call high-intensity warfare," Mallard noted. According to the rear-admiral, Western navies have to adapt to a new environment with "increasingly uninhibited competitors." Politico writes that France’s carrier battle group is expected to start a mission in the Mediterranean Sea in the coming days. France is the only EU country operating a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, which also carries nuclear weapons, the media outlet notes. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, launched in 1994, was designed to carry up to 40 Rafale fighter jets, as well as several helicopters. The vessel has a length of 261 meters and a displacement of 42,500 tons. The ship has a crew of about 2,000.

Philippe de Gaulle, only son of former French leader Charles de Gaulle, dies at age 102 Rest in Heaven Admiral! Fair Winds and Following Seas! We 've the Watch! French navy admiral and senator Philippe de Gaulle, who was the eldest child and only son of former French President Charles de Gaulle, has died at the age of 102, Agence France-Presse reports. According to the AFP, Philippe de Gaulle "died in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday at the [old soldiers’ home at Paris’ iconic] Hotel des Invalides, where he had resided for the past two years." General Charles de Gaulle and his wife Yvonne had three children, with the couple’s two daughters, Elisabeth and Anne, both dying earlier than their only son, Philippe. Charles de Gaulle’s younger daughter, Anne, died in 1948 at age 20. Philippe de Gaulle was born on December 28, 1921. During World War II, he was close to his famous father, who led the Free French Forces and later served as president of France (1959-1969). As an officer in the Free French Naval Forces, Philippe de Gaulle was injured six times in battles for the liberation of France from Nazi Germany. In 1966, Philippe accompanied his father on an official visit to Moscow, during which a number of agreements reinforcing the bilateral cooperation between France and the Soviet Union were signed.

French Navy downs two drones over Red Sea as Houthis take aim at ‘Israeli’ ships Multiple drone attacks originating in Yemen detected overnight; U.S. military MQ-9 drone shot down near Yemen The French Navy has shot down two drones over the Red Sea where Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been attacking ships, the defense ministry in Paris said Tuesday. The Navy, which has two frigates deployed in the area, detected “multiple drone attacks originating in Yemen” overnight Monday to Tuesday, before destroying two of the unmanned aircraft, the ministry said. The attack came a day after the European Union formally launched a naval mission to protect Red Sea shipping from the Iran-backed Houthis, who control much of war-torn Yemen.

It appears that while some US-flagged merchant ships reversed course - ARC Liberty and Maersk Chicago - and others are still heading for the Suez to head south; some are holding their positions - Maersk Kensington & Green Bay - while they await for escorts to be established. 🔶️ In the meantime, the French-owned Malta-flagged CMA CGM Aqaba just ran (Dec 20/21) the Bab el-Mandeb [BAM] into the Gulf of Aden. CMA CGM Pegasus (w/armed guards aboard) just departed Djibouti after sailing through the BAM on Dec 18 and is showing a destination of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea (but she may be heading to Asia). 🔶️ The French-owned CMA CGM Washington (Malta-flagged 14,360 TEU) and APL Salalah (Singapore-flagged 10,800 TEU and owned by CMA CGM) are the only containerships over 8000 TEU heading for the BAM in the Indian Ocean and will probably pick up an escort to run past Yemen. 🔶️ It appears that the French Navy is using the frigate Languedoc to escort their ships through the waters around Yemen and avoid the Houthi. 🔶️ It appears that France is withdrawing from Op Prosperity Guardian and will be conducting their own escort operation. 🔶️ The question is why the @USNavy @US5thFleet has not yet escorted Maersk Kensington through the BAM, as the ship has been sitting in the Red Sea for a week (since Dec 15), or Green Bay (since Dec 17) in the Gulf of Aden? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HObhQdNXq2U