Category: Security policy

France takes over SNMCMG 2

For the first time, France has taken command of one of NATO's four standing maritime task forces. During a partly virtual ceremony, the Deputy Commander of NATO Maritime Command, Vice Admiral Didier Piaton, handed over command of the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG 2) to Commander Gregory Guiran. In future, he will lead the boats under his command from on board the French flagship Somme. "Recent actions and exercises under the leadership of outgoing commander Yusuf Karagulle have shown that NATO is fully operational in mine countermeasures, soldiering and cohesion in the face of an ever-increasing threat," said Guiran, praising his predecessor....

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Success for FS Ventôse

On 16 April, the crew of the FS Ventôse found around 210 kilograms of cocaine on a sailing boat off Martinique. In an operation lasting several hours, the well-hidden drugs, which were sealed in 17 packages, were seized on a suspicious sailing boat and handed over to the Office for the Fight against Drugs (OFAST). Two suspects were arrested. The frigate Ventôse belongs to the Forces Armée aux Antilles (FAA) and is permanently stationed in the Caribbean. Text: mb; Photo: Navy...

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Varuna 2021 ended

The binational exercise Varuna took place in the Arabian Sea for the 19th time. During the three-day manoeuvres, the French and Indian navies practised joint cooperation and coordination of their activities. Over the years, the exercise has become more and more extensive and the individual actions more and more complex. This year, the focus was on tasks in the areas of air defence and submarine hunting. Flight operations with fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft were practised with the Charles de Gaulle. Tactical manoeuvres, firing at air and sea targets and supply manoeuvres at sea were also carried out. Due to the pandemic, all tasks were carried out in advance exclusively via video...

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Incident in the Persian Gulf

Another incident has occurred in the Persian Gulf. On Monday, speedboats belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards approached two American ships to within around 60 metres. According to the US, the crews of the USS Firebolt and the USCG Baranoff had previously repeatedly called on the Iranians to turn away via radio and megaphone. Only after the Firebolt fired warning shots did the Iranian boats move away from the American boats. The incident is not the first of its kind. Time and again, speedboats of the Iranian armed forces approach US warships to within a few metres, sail around them and occupy the weapons on board. Text: mb; Photo: US...

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Leonardo acquires blocking minority in Hensoldt

Following the German government's investment in defence company Hensoldt last year, Italian company Leonardo has now acquired another large block of shares from financial investor Kohlberg Kravis & Roberts (KKR). The stake held by both anchor shareholders is 25.1 per cent each, giving each a blocking minority. According to its own information, Leonardo is paying around 606 million euros, which corresponds to a price per share of 23 euros. The closing price of the Hensoldt share was 15.58 euros on Friday. Leonardo would thus have paid a premium of just under 50 per cent. With their investment, the Italians want to establish a strategic presence in the growing German defence market. Already in the past...

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