The chief of staff of the French Navy said there was a high probability of a confrontation at sea
The likelihood of naval conflict and fighting with the participation of the Navy has increased dramatically against the backdrop of the current military conflict in Ukraine, the NATO maritime forces need to be prepared for any surprises. This was stated by the Chief of Staff of the French Navy, Admiral Pierre Vandieu, in an interview with the American edition of Defense News, published the day before, on October 16.
“In a world of turmoil, what will profoundly define the Navy in the coming years is the increased likelihood of confrontation at sea, which puts naval combat as a working hypothesis,”
Vandier believes that the French Navy needs to make progress in the technological field, “build up forces where it is reasonable and possible”, and also ensure the ability of the fleet to “keep in battle”.
“The increase in the number of threats and the will of our competitors (to carry them out) means that we must train harder. Changes in the world mean that we must be prepared for surprises, upheavals, breakdowns, for everything that is considered incredible today, ”the admiral said.
Speaking about the situation in the Indo-Pacific region, he noted that France, including as a Pacific power, looks "beyond the continental horizon of Europe." The admiral stressed the importance of coalition work at sea and cooperation within the EU and NATO to achieve "interoperability".