The Somme command and supply ship (BCR) has been engaged for several days in an operational readiness course (MECO) under the supervision of the training division of the Naval Action Force. This course, carried out at the quay and then at sea, is an opportunity to improve crew performance and to control commitment through demanding exercises.
The BCR’s primary mission, replenishment at sea (RAM) is one of the maneuvers evaluated during the course. These refueling operations took on an international dimension when the BCR Somme refueled the German frigate Hamburg and the LPD Johan de Witt, both of which are part of Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG 1), NATO’s permanent presence in the North Atlantic. During the course, the Somme also had the privilege of driving the first RAM of the defense and intervention frigate (FDI) Amiral Ronarc’h. Carried out under threat, it allowed the BCR Somme to train in opening fire with its weapons systems in the face of targets simulating drone attacks.
The resilience of the ship and its crew in a conflict has been tested by gunnery exercises (GUNEX) and operational capacity control exercises (MACOPEX), i.e. the ability to continue the fight and the mission despite damage. The Somme has finally been engaged in a realistic exercise to evacuate French and European nationals in a tense environment.
Sailing safely requires mastering the operation of the building and being able to deal with any type of disaster or incident. This is why each sailor of the BCR Somme is also trained to intervene as a firefighter and trains to maintain a high level of competence in this field. As for the new cyber threats, they were confronted by experts in digital building systems.