Amid growing strategic interest in the Arctic, the French National Navy has deployed two naval units as part of an exercise aimed at familiarizing crews with the operational demands of this extreme environment. At the same time, the naval force seeks to reinforce the European country’s presence in these strategically valuable areas, where trade routes, natural resources, and mounting international tensions converge.
According to information released by the French Navy, the operation consists of the French naval group Jeanne d’Arc, which includes the amphibious helicopter carrier Mistral (L9013) as flagship and the frigate Surcouf (F711) of the La Fayette-class. According to the latest position report, the vessels are sailing through the North Atlantic, near Greenland, en route to the Arctic.
Also accompanying the Jeanne d’Arc deployment is a ground tactical subgroup composed of personnel from the 13th Foreign Legion Regiment (13e DBLE), the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), and the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG), with a total of 35 tactical vehicles. They are joined by an airmobile subgroup from the French Army’s 5th Combat Helicopter Regiment (5e RHC), consisting of two Cougar and two Gazelle helicopters. The air component is completed by a Dauphin helicopter from Flottille 34F and an S-100 Camcopter drone from Flottille 36F. Finally, an amphibious detachment equipped with two landing craft is also part of the expeditionary group.
As mentioned, the mission in this particular area responds to renewed interests in the Arctic, but above all, it presents a demanding environment due to its unique geography. The French Navy explains that navigation becomes both technical and critical due to changing weather conditions, surface ice, and cold water channels. This poses a challenge for the crews, who will be evaluated throughout the exercises and must maintain constant vigilance and master navigation instruments.
The Jeanne d’Arc group began its five-month mission in February of this year. Since then, the units crossed the Atlantic from the Ivory Coast, passed through the French Antilles, and aimed to reach the Arctic Circle. To conclude the mission, they are scheduled to make a stopover in Reykjavik, Iceland, combining military operations with advanced training before returning to France.
It is worth noting that in parallel, units of the French Navy also took part in a joint exercise with the Brazilian Navy (MB) in April, highlighted by the presence of the Multipurpose Ship (NDM) Bahia (G-40) of the MB. During the exercise, personnel executed various naval maneuvers, including an amphibious operation focused on projecting forces from the sea and a civilian evacuation operation.
A month later, during their journey north, the French naval force visited Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, to carry out the multinational exercise Tucán Royal alongside the Colombian Navy. The goal was to train crews in maneuvers under NATO standards. The exercise included maritime interdiction drills, naval maneuvers, tactical communications, and naval air operations in the Caribbean Sea. This edition raised the stakes, as the participating naval components were more substantial than in previous years. In 2025, participants included the frigate ARC Almirante Padilla, the French units, and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Normandy.
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