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French Navy ASW Frigate Conducted Rare Deployment to Strategic Arctic Area

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Naval Forces News - France
 
 
 
French Navy ASW Frigate Conducted Rare Deployment to Strategic Arctic Area
 
The French Navy announced yesterday that the anti-submarine frigate La Motte-Picquet (Georges Leygues class) deployed to the North Atlantic and Arctic area from 30 October to 2 December last year. The French Navy, who rarely patrols in the Arctic, explains that the objectives were to increase the sailors "knowledge and anticipation" in a zone of increasingly strategic importance.
     
The French Navy announced yesterday that the anti-submarine frigate La Motte-Picquet (Georges Leygues class) deployed to the North Atlantic and Arctic area from 30 October to 2 December last year. The French Navy, who rarely patrols in the Arctic, explains that the objectives were to increase the sailors "knowledge and anticipation" in a zone of increasingly strategic importance.
The La Motte-Picquet ASW Frigate in the Arctic. Picture: French Navy
     
"While climate change announces the opening of new shipping routes in the polar regions, it is important for the French Navy to become familiar with the Arctic environment" explains the press release.

The La Motte-Picquet Frigate has leveraged all its on-board sensors to gather information while in the area: It was instructive on commercial shipping, naval forces sailing the Arctic, fishing areas or oil extraction. They were also used for sailing in the polar region. The teachings of navigation in extreme weather conditions (polar nights and very cold waters at 2°C) affect many aspects including flight operations made difficult by the danger of icing as well as underwater operations in these extreme temperatures.
     
The French Navy announced yesterday that the anti-submarine frigate La Motte-Picquet (Georges Leygues class) deployed to the North Atlantic and Arctic area from 30 October to 2 December last year. The French Navy, who rarely patrols in the Arctic, explains that the objectives were to increase the sailors "knowledge and anticipation" in a zone of increasingly strategic importance.
The La Motte-Picquet ASW Frigate in Hammerfest, Norway. Picture: French Navy
     
This deployment also helped to strengthen links between the French Navy and the Royal Norwegian Navy through tactical exchanges, especially on the occasion of the TG3 operational maneuvers led by the Norwegian Navy. This training, which involved Norwegian Nansen class frigates and Skjold class corvettes was an opportunity to enhance the interoperability between the two navies. The TG3 maneuvers included anti-air live fire against towed targets, ASuW live fire against floating targets, ASW exercises, information gathering...

Two stopovers in the port of Hammerfest, city in the far north of Norway (and deemed to be the northernmost of the world) have helped to maintain links with local authorities in this part of the country where the last stop of a French Navy vessel - the D'Entrecasteaux dates back to 1982.