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Political and defence Europe (by Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

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An operation in the Mediterranean justified the maintenance of the Foch mission

(B2) The French Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, François Lecointre, gave, on Sunday (April 19), France Inter, very interesting explanations on the coronavirus epidemic which affected the sailors of the Charles-de-Gaulle. With a revelation: the carrier group was to be engaged in operations in the Mediterranean

The Rafales were to go on operations in the Mediterranean. Operation interrupted due to epidemic (credit: DICOD / EMA)

An epidemic that has gone beyond the foreseeable framework

The 'possible' cause: the Brest stopover

First of all the general puts an end to a suspense: “ This contamination is believed to have occurred at the Brest stopover » recognizes the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces (CEMA), François Lecointre. But we must remain careful, indicated a petty officer to B2. We must wait for the results of the various epidemiological surveys to be definitive. Outside of port calls, there is a lot of movement with the aircraft carrier. And there can be several sources of contamination.

The question of the stopover posed

Courageously, the CEMA endorses all decisions, assuming the full extent of the decision (thus relieving the political level of any responsibility). “ We asked ourselves the question from the beginning of March if we were going to maintain [the Foch mission]. The decision taken by the command — the navy and myself — was to maintain it. Because it corresponds to a logistical necessity of an aircraft carrier on mission for two months. And it was necessary to recomplete a certain number of elements in the aircraft carrier for it to continue this mission. » The stopover was maintained with restrictive conditions: elimination of international exchanges, limited exchanges with families.

Precautionary measures not sufficient?

There were many cases on board the Charles-de-Gaulle. But cases deemed mild apparently. And the precautionary measures have been lifted. Too early apparently. " After March 30, at the end of the fortnight, based on the state of knowledge at that time, it was decided to lift these barrier measures and restrictive measures. Overall, we had around ten ENT cases, which are the constant stock that doctors observed in this type of building. It was only from April 5 that around eighteen symptomatic cases were identified by the on-board medical service.. » (1)

An operation in the Mediterranean

The aircraft carrier set sail after the Brest stopover on March 16. towards the Mediterranean », Indicates General François Lecointre (2). For him, it was necessary at all costs for the aircraft carrier to continue its mission, for two reasons. One is known: “ We had crew qualification exercises especially pilots.” The other is less: “we had operations to carry out in the Mediterranean before arriving in Toulon ».

… not included in the original program

Even if it is not not a defense secret », the general does not want to say more. He was not questioned on this point by our colleagues either. This operation was not planned, however, at least in the (public) program established at the departure of the carrier group. This was to, once the two exercises in the North Sea (off the coast of Scotland and off the coast of Netherlands-Denmark), with a final qualifying session off the coast of Portugal, return to its home port: Toulon. This was confirmed to us by a naval officer.

… in Mediterranean

Another point: it is not an exercise, or a demonstration of friendship (Passex type), but indeed a “ surgery ". The word used (twice) by the CEMA, which is very precise in the use of its words, leaves no doubt. Just like the geographical area, precisely named: “ Mediterranean sea ».

…off the coast of Libya?

A priori, this is not an operation off the coast of Syria, the travel time was not sufficient. And the return to Operation Chammal was not planned, according to our sources. In fact, it could very well lend support to the new European Union operation (EUNAVFOR Irini), responsible for controlling the arms embargo on Libya, which is currently suffering from not getting off the ground due to lack of resources. , including ships. At the beginning of April, at the time of force generation, we were told of a “ notable participation from France (Read: EUNAVFOR Med Irini operation without ships, for now. Force generation continues). Participation which was reduced, according to the response of the French general staff to B2 (9.4) to “ a multi-mission frigate on alert ". We also know that France is very involved in this Libyan zone, aiming in particular to limit Turkish, like Russian, influence in the country.

Knowledge of the area

For the carrier group, this presence off the coast of Libya is not completely new. In the spring of 2011, in full intervention, the carrier group left to assist air strike operations (read: The means of the "Civilian protection" operation in Libya in place). At the beginning of 2016, the Charles-de-Gaulle and its escort had made a passage offshore, to gather intelligence.

Comment: a very discreet denial of the official version

We therefore understand that, in view of an operation, the continuity of the mission was necessary. In doing so, the CEMA makes a double, very discreet denial of the official ministerial version. The coronavirus has had a significant impact on operations. On the one hand, the need to maintain the Foch mission was well justified in view of this operation. On the other hand, the interruption of the Foch mission and the early return of the carrier battle group deprived it of this “ surgery " in Mediterranean. And France is deprived of aircraft carriers at least until the end of June. The coronavirus – or rather the rapid failure to take into account the epidemic (3) – therefore has very concrete, operational consequences on the French force. Finally, let us remember that in terms of operations, he is not simply a ship pasha or a commander of 473 task force and even a CEMA who makes the decision. This decision is political.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Read our records:


The results of the coronavirus epidemic on board the carrier group

Here is the latest report collected directly by B2 from an official source (as of 20.4)

Three-fifths of aircraft carrier sailors infected

2010 tests were conducted on a total of 2390 sailors from the Naval Action Group. 1080 tests are positive, largely on the aircraft carrier:

  • 1046 sailors were detected positive for Covid-19 out of 1798 sailors from Charles de Gaulle (R-91), or almost 60% of the crew (58,2%);
  • 19 positive sailors out of the 222 sailors of the air defense frigate Chevalier Paul (D-621), based in Toulon;
  • 0 positive sailor out of the 168 sailors in the BCR Sum (A-631), based in Brest. 106 were released and returned to their families. 62 remain in quarantine because they passed through premises or frequented 'positive people';
  • 0 positive sailor out of the 219 sailors of the anti-submarine frigate La Motte Piquet (D-645), based in Brest;
  • 8 positive on Landivisiau's 11F flotilla equipped with Rafale Marine;
  • 7 positives on Lann Bihoué's 4F flotilla equipped with E2-C Hawkeye observation planes.

Two sailors in intensive care

24 sailors are hospitalized (one entered and the other left Monday April 20). 9 are on oxygen and 2 are in intensive care: a major and a senior master, both rather elderly, at least in the age zone considered critical for the coronavirus (50+). They are in good condition. stationary » as the doctors say. This is what particularly worries the authorities.

foreign side

  • 1 tested positive on the Belgian frigate Leopold I
  • 0 tested positive on the German frigate Lübeck
  • we are waiting for the results on the Portuguese and Spanish side

(assessment established in 8.4)


  1. As of March 30, it has been a week since a case of Covid-19 was confirmed on the Belgian frigate.
  2. A point which is not entirely correct, since the ship leaves towards the North Sea where it will remain for a good fortnight. It is during this fortnight that everything is at stake, even if according to the CEMA, the crew applies a rigorous, quite severe action plan, with barrier gestures.
  3. The return of soldiers who repatriated French people from China (from Wuhan) also raises questions. The military base of Creil having undoubtedly been one of the first places and centers of contamination of the coronavirus (with the key point of Mulhouse).

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).