The frigate La Fayette on a mission against arms trafficking

The FLF-type frigate La Fayette returned to its home port of Toulon on November 21 after a four-month deployment marked by the completion of its mission in three different theatres of operations. After providing deterrence support in the maritime approaches to Brest, the La Fayette operated in the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea under the command of OTAN before joining the Central Mediterranean as part of the European mission EUNAVFOR MED IRINI.

ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE

In August in Brest, the frigate provided several escort slots for ballistic missile submarines (SNLE), marking the first deployment of an FLF in a deterrence support mission. This first role as an accompanying escort (ESAC) with a Dauphin helicopter from the 34F confirmed the new anti-submarine warfare capabilities of the mid-life upgraded FLF, which are now equipped with a hull sonar.

The frigate and its detachment from the 36F (Panther helicopter) then integrated into the OTAN naval force Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) from September to October 2024 for a deployment in the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea. The La Fayette contributed to asserting OTAN's presence in the Baltic Sea, guaranteeing freedom of navigation in the area and participated in reassurance on the eastern flank of the Alliance. During the four weeks of operation in the Baltic, its deployment was enriched by the demonstration of interoperability with ships from OTAN countries: FGS Hessen (Allemagne), USS Normandy (Etats-Unis) and HSwMS Helsingborg (Suède). The two port calls in Stockholm (Suède) and Klaïpeda (Lituanie) were also an opportunity to strengthen mutual understanding with our allies.

Further south, the vessel La Fayette was finally placed under the operational control of the European staff in charge of the Union Européenne operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, aimed at enforcing the Nations Unies embargo on arms trafficking and the illicit export of oil from Lybie. For one month, the FLF frigate La Fayette worked alongside the Greek frigate Limnos and the Italian patrol vessel Bettica to monitor commercial traffic and raise awareness among civilian vessels in the area about the fight against illicit trafficking in this maritime zone.

This demanding and multi-theatre operational deployment required a high level of preparation and training from the crew, who demonstrated their professionalism, resilience and adaptability throughout this mission.