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The Leopold I trains in shooting off Souda

© NGV/B2
© NGV/B2

(B2 off Crete) The Belgian frigate Leopold I (F-930) completed its training today before joining the Charles-de-Gaulle in the Mediterranean. Firing exercises were carried out this Wednesday (11 November), the day of celebration of the end of the First World War, on the NATO specialized firing point of Souda in Crete.

A qualification exercise for NATO

The frigate thundered the gunpowder several times. Her 76mm anti-aircraft and anti-surface "Otobreda" rang out with a heavy sound while her MAG (7.62mm) and Browning .50 (12,7mm) machine guns responded with a drier, jerkier sound. Then the missile launcher Sea Sparrow (anti-aircraft) and its close protection system Goalkeeper gave voice. The target: a drone sent to simulate an aerial attack on the ship. This was the main objective of the exercise. Launching a Seaspearow missile is " an important qualification step for the frigate in order to certify it to NATO standards “says the Belgian defense. " The launch was made with a rangefinder rocket which aims to record a number of flight and operational data ". AGM-84s Harpoon (anti-surface, intended to destroy large ships at a long distance 120 km) and Mark 46 torpedoes (against submarines) remained at rest... for this time. All this under the eyes of the Minister of Defence, Steven Vandeput, who traveled especially for the occasion, as well as of the Prime Minister, Charles Michel, who stopped over on the island of Crete, before going to Malta for two consecutive summits (Europe-Africa and European Union) on migration. Another atmosphere...

A few days under the European flag

Leopold I, meanwhile, set sail again. Direction: Sicily. The frigate is, in fact, officially still under the European flag for a few days. She will find the Cavour, the flagship of EUNAVFOR MED / Sophia. The time to do a final briefing, to return the various materials (communication, radio, etc.) used and to say goodbye to the mission commander, Rear Admiral Enrico Credendino. And then, towards Toulon, to join the French Naval Air Group, and head for the Persian Gulf, via the Suez Canal.
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(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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