French Navy air-defense frigate FS Chevalier Paul has concluded three weeks of counter-Daesh operations in the Persian Gulf with the US carrier strike group centered around aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.
During her time with the carrier strike group, Chevalier Paul provided air defense for the USS Theodore Roosevelt as it launched sorties against Daesh positions in Iraq and Syria as part of the US operation Inherent Resolve.
France contributes to the fight against Daesh under operation Chamal which it launched in September 2014.
During her time CSG9 command, Chevalier Paul also performed asymmetric threat patrols and welcomed 24 US Navy sailors during a “cross deck” event between January 13 and 17.
“Their role is to defend the flag ship, which is us, and they are very cognizant of that,” Lt. j.g. Christopher Hallissy, assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 23, said commenting the French sailors’ role. “Our mission on TR is to launch planes into a combat zone and finish whatever mission calls for us out here. Their mission is to help defend the TR. They are usually only a couple miles away from us at any given time, just like the other ships from CSG9.”
Chevalier departed her homeport in November 2017, starting a five-month mission to the Middle East together with French helicopter-carrier BPC Tonnerre. Their deployment is called Bois Belleau 100, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of World War I, and in memory of the sacrifices of US Marines during the second battle of the Marne.
BPC Tonnerre and FS Chevalier Paul are scheduled to return home in March 2018.