French carrier strike group participates in Trilateral exercise pacific steller
The French Carrier Strike Group (CSG), centered around the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, is taking part in the Pacific Steller exercise alongside the United States and Japan. This trilateral naval drill, held from February 7 to 18, 2025, is being conducted in the Philippine Sea as part of France’s broader CLEMENCEAU 25 mission.
A multinational naval deployment
For this inaugural edition of Pacific Steller, a total of 15 naval units from the three participating nations have been deployed.
- Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has sent the helicopter carrier Kaga, the destroyer Akizuki, and a P-3C maritime patrol aircraft.
- The US Navy has deployed the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, three destroyers (USS Princeton, USS Sterett, and USS William P. Lawrence), and a P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft.
- France’s Carrier Strike Group includes the Charles de Gaulle, two multi-mission frigates, an air defense frigate, a fleet replenishment vessel, and two Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft from the French Navy.
Over the 10-day exercise, these forces will engage in high-intensity training across anti-surface, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare, strengthening interoperability and enhancing mutual operational knowledge.
France’s commitment to Indo-Pacific stability
As a resident power in the Indo-Pacific, France actively contributes to a free, open, and stable maritime space. Through its forward-deployed forces, regular deployments from the mainland, and participation in major regional drills like Exercise La Pérouse 25, France underscores its commitment to regional security.
This mission reinforces the French Navy’s strategic role, showcasing its ability to project power, ensure maritime superiority, and operate autonomously in complex strategic environments. By deploying its carrier strike group, France reaffirms its dedication to upholding freedom of navigation and aerial movement across the world’s oceans.
