The air defence frigate Chevalier Paul, the Italian frigate Caio Dulio, the multi-mission frigate with enhanced air defence capability Lorraine, the multi-mission frigate Provence, the La Fayette type frigate La Fayette and the deep-sea patrol vessel Commandant Birot), two French nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), four Panther and Caïman Marine helicopters, an E2-C HAWKEYE and several French and American maritime patrol aircraft took part in the exercise.
Organized by the “Training” division of the Naval Action Force (ALFAN), this edition of EXOCET pushed to the end the realism of the combat between two naval forces under submarine threat, in cooperation with SSNs. Units clashed in all-out combat where tactical initiatives and innovations were allowed to realistically simulate high-intensity conflict in an extended theater. The sailors involved have thus developed their tactical sense, mastery of equipment and their responsiveness to the unexpected.
EXOCET has contributed to developing the boldness and agility of the crews by preparing them for all eventualities, outside the agreed rules of the time of crisis. While the war will not be conducted according to rules accepted by the competitors beforehand, the training must prepare each combatant to break out of the known patterns to win the outcome of a multi-struggle engagement. This exercise is fully in line with the POLARIS approach, which consists of preparing Navy units for high-intensity combat in the most realistic way possible.