French Carrier Strike Group in Singapore for CLEMENCEAU 25

Hanson Seah

NEWS | 27 IMAGES

01. FS Charles de Gaulle (R91). The carrier also visited Singapore in 2019 and 2002.

The French Navy’s (French: Marine nationale) Carrier Strike Group (CSG), also referred to as Groupe AéroNaval (GAN), has arrived in Singapore for a stopover as part of Mission CLEMENCEAU 25.

The flagship, aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R91) docked at Changi Naval Base on the morning of March 4, 2025, accompanied by a Horizon-class air defence destroyer FS Forbin (D620) and an AAW FREMM frigate FS Alsace (D656). Additionally, the CSG includes fleet replenishment oiler BRF Jacques Chevallier (A725) and ASW FREMM FS Provence (D652), currently alongside Sembawang, Singapore, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, respectively.

Embarked on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier are 22 Rafale Marine fighters, two E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft and three helicopters (one NH90 Caïman Marine and two AS365F Dauphin Pedro). Two Atlantique ATL2 maritime patrol aircraft are forward-deployed to nearby airfields in support of the CSG’s activities.

A “small town” of around 1,800 sailors ensures the carrier’s round-the-clock operations, including an 80-officer headquarters and an air wing of 450 personnel. On the bridge, 4 to 10 sailors remain on continuous watch, coordinating with the “Air Boss” to optimise the course and speed of the massive 42,500-tonne vessel for flight operations. In the hangar, technicians from the hydraulics, engines and avionics workshops work tirelessly to achieve a more than 90% aircraft availability rate each morning at sea. Throughout the day Rafale Marine fighters are “regenerated” onto the flight deck, with at least nine aircraft ready for immediate takeoff at any time.

Beyond its role as a floating air base, the carrier also houses a fully equipped hospital with 20 staff, inclusive of doctors, nurses and surgeons. Crew amenities include 6 different wardrooms and a bakery capable of producing one baguette per sailor per day.

Mission CLEMENCEAU 25

Mission CLEMENCEAU 25 set sail from Toulon, France on November 28, 2024. The five-month deployment is centred on enhancing interoperability with partners and allies, enabling the CSG to demonstrate its ability to project power, conduct autonomous situational assessments, and operate in complex strategic environments. The far-reaching nature of the deployment also underlines France’s “commitment to freedom of action and maritime and air movement on all the seas and oceans of the globe.”

The key exercises for Mission CLEMENCEAU 25:

LA PEROUSE (January 16 to 24): The largest exercise of the deployment, involving nine nations (Australia, Canada, France, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States). It aimed to synchronise maritime security operations along the Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok Straits — critical chokepoints in global shipping trade.

RASTABAN (January 21 to 24): A power projection manoeuvre involving Rafale Marine fighters flying more than 1,800 km to Darwin, Australia, for air combat training with the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) F-35As. The 2023 edition of RASTABAN was conducted in Singapore, which we covered here.

PACIFIC STELLER (February 7 to 18): A trilateral Multi-Large Deck Event (MLDE) spearheaded by FS Charles de Gaulle, JS Kaga, and USS Carl Vinson. Conducted in the Western Pacific Ocean, the exercise integrated units for advanced surface, air and anti-submarine warfare training. Cross-deck drills saw Rafale Marine fighters embarked on the U.S. carrier, while the USN F/A-18F, USN CMV-22B and JMSDF SH-60 operated from the French carrier. Validation of Link 22 capabilities was also conducted with the U.S. Seventh Fleet.

VARUNA: An annual France-India bilateral exercise, now in its 42nd edition, focusing on enhancing aero-naval interoperability in response to multi-domain threats. This exercise will take place during the return leg of the deployment.

  • CLEMENCEAU 25 Map (©MarineNationale / French Navy)
  • Objectives of LA PEROUSE (©FrenchForces via X)
  • Objectives of PACIFIC STELLER (©French_CSG via X)
  • RSS Independence operating alongside FS Forbin. (©French_CSG via X)
  • RSS Stalwart and FS Alsace sail in formation. (©FrenchForces via X)

Singapore – A Symbolic Stopover on the 60th Anniversary of Bilateral Relations

02. French Ambassador to Singapore, His Excellency Stephen Marchisio.

At a press conference on the carrier’s flight deck, French Ambassador to Singapore, His Excellency Stephen Marchisio stressed that Singapore “stands as one of France’s most reliable and trustworthy partners.” He highlighted the regular stopovers of the French Air Force’s Mission PÉGASE and French naval vessels as “key to reinforce a very high level of confidence in interoperability and cooperation”. He also noted France’s significant economic investment in the region, particularly Singapore, where over 1000 French companies are based.

Summarising the exceptional and special bilateral relationship in one word —”trust”— France was one of the first European nations to recognise Singapore’s independence. The year 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of France-Singapore diplomatic ties, with both nations set to formalise a comprehensive strategic partnership.

The CSG’s stopover precedes the state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, during which he will become the first European leader to deliver the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

03. Commander of the French Carrier Strike Group, Rear-Admiral Jacques Mallard.

Rear-Admiral Jacques Mallard, commander of the French Carrier Strike Group, described Singapore as a “symbolic stopover”, marking the transition between the Pacific and Indian Oceans — both of which see regular French naval deployments from metropolitan France or its overseas territories. The stopover also marks the beginning of the return leg of the five-month deployment, considered lengthy by French Navy standards.

Speaking about the highlights of the deployment, he pointed to exercises and interactions with local forces, including the LA PEROUSE exercise, where RSS Independence operated alongside FS Forbin in the Straits of Malacca, and the joint sea training between RSS Stalwart and FS Alsace a day before the CSG’s arrival at Changi Naval Base.

Reflecting on the mission, RADM Mallard emphasised the importance of operating with diverse partners, which provided valuable lessons, new perspectives, and generated enthusiasm for an even longer deployment in the future.

Finally, he expressed hope that cooperation would extend beyond military dimensions, highlighting Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity as critical domains for regional security — priorities which were also mentioned by French President Emmanuel Macron at the recent AI Summit in Paris.

Photo Gallery

04. RADM Jacques Mallard (left) and H.E. Stephen Marchisio (right) gather for a group photo.
05. A senior French Navy officer explains the regeneration process of Rafale Ms in the hangar bay.
06. A wide range of armaments carried by the Rafale M. Displayed from right to left: MICA-EM, AASM, METEOR, AM39, M791 cannon, Thales DAMOCLES pod, GBU-16, GBU-12 and MICA-IR.
07. Up to one million spare parts are carried onboard to service the air wing. Mezzanine hoists utilise ceiling rails to facilitate the movement of these parts around the hanger.
08. Executive Officer (XO) of FS Charles de Gaulle, Captain Yann-Eric, explains bridge operations.
09. Looking over the ship’s bow.
10. Bridge layout of FS Charles de Gaulle
11. The XO’s seat – supplied by French luxury automaker DS Automobiles.
12. The flag of the Free French Naval Forces (FNFL), flown on the bow as the naval ensign for units with historical ties to the FNFL.
13. The national flag of France, flown on the ship’s stern.
14. Rafale M fighters from Flottille 17F. The fighters’ role include air defence, strikes, air support and reconnaissance missions from the carrier.
15. The Rafale Ms parked at the bow of the ship. Visible is one of the ship’s two catapult systems.
16. A Rafale M displaying “kill marks” below the canopy.
17. E-2C Hawkeye from Flottille 4F. The E-2C provide airborne early warning and shares the overall tactical picture with units of the CSG.
18. AS365F Dauphin Pedro from Flottille 35F. It carries out maritime rescue missions, flying abeam the carrier during aircraft catapult and landing phases.
19. NH90 Caïman Marine. Although equipped with ASW capability, its primary mission is personnel transport.
20. The island of FS Charles de Gaulle.
21. The French Navy’s motto — Honneur, patrie, valeur, discipline (Honour, fatherland, valour, discipline) — inscribed on separate plaques at each corner of every ship’s superstructure.
22. One of the three arresting cables on the flight deck.
23. The optical landing system (OLS), affectionately known as the “meatball”, provides glide path guidance to pilots on final approach to the carrier.
24. FS Forbin (D620) alongside Changi Naval Base.
25. FS Alsace (D656) alongside Changi Naval Base.
26. BRF Jacques Chevallier (A725) sailing along the Johor Strait en route to Sembawang Naval Facility.
27. Dassault Atlantique ATL2 taking off from Paya Lebar Air Base for a routine patrol in support of the CSG.

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