On October 26, a La Fayette-class frigate (FLF) on patrol in the Eastern Mediterranean conducted several mutual training exercises with the German frigate Sachsen-Anhalt.
Deployed since October 13 to ensure the continuity of an autonomous situation assessment capability in this geopolitically unstable area, the French frigate set sail from its stopover in Beirut in the morning to reach its area of operation off the coast.
The Sachsen-Anhalt , a frigate of the German Navy , has been participating for several months in the maritime component of UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) and, in this capacity, patrols off the Lebanese coast. This allied presence has strengthened cooperation and interoperability between the two navies.
The day was marked by a series of coordinated tactical maneuvers between the two frigates, under radio command from the German bridge. Executing front lines, lines of battle, corpens, and turns, the ships honed their formation navigation. Subsequently, several demonstrations of replenishment at sea (PRERAM) and light cargo transfer (TRALER) took place. Finally, the French frigate’s Panther helicopter performed a cross deck landing on the German vessel, allowing the latter’s crew to practice their aviation chain in a fully operational setting.
This successful exercise has once again demonstrated the importance of these bilateral training sessions. It marks the first step in a series of meetings that are set to be repeated in the coming weeks, as Saxony-Anhalt will be deployed in the region until December.