U.S. Navy Commander of USNAVCENT Visits French Navy Aircraft Carrier

: Posted On Thursday, 18 February 2016 19:50

Naval Forces News - France, USA

U.S. Navy Commander of USNAVCENT Visits French Navy Aircraft Carrier

The French Navy (Marine Nationale) announced that on 9 February 2016, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Kevin M. "Kid" Donegan, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (US NAVCENT) visited French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. USS Harry S Truman and Charles de Gaulle aircraft carriers are currently deployed in the Arabian/Persian Gulf in support of coalition operations against Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

VADM Kevin Donegan visits French Navy aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Picture: French Navy

French Navy Rear Adm. Rene-Jean Crignola, Commander Task Force (CTF) 50 presented Rear Adm. Donegan an initial assessment of his action as commander of the naval component of the coalition against Daesh. Since 7 December 2015, the Rear Admiral Crignola commands the Task Force 50, the naval component of the coalition against Daech formed around one or more aircraft carriers. This is the first time this function was entrusted to a non-US admiral in this highly strategic area.

USS Harry S Truman and Charles de Gaulle aircraft carriers underway side by side as part of Dual Carrier Operations in the Arabian/Persian Gulf. French Navy Picture.

The visit by Read Adm. Donegan higlights the the high level of interoperability achieved by the US Navy and French Navy in the area.

This collaboration is the result of over a decade of joint operations between French and American carrier strike groups. For the French Navy, the "Arromanches 2" mission is a decisive step "that needs to be capitalized for the future." The mutual trust established between the two navies is for the long run. It also paves the way for maintaining a high level of interoperability in the coming years.