France and 24 allied countries are conducting large-scale military drills to prepare for high-intensity conflict, amid escalated threats from Russia.
The allied military drill Orion-26,” France's largest military exercise since the Cold War, is ongoing at Base 123 in Orléans Bricy, with paratroopers being dropped over the Coëtquidan base in Brittany, western France.
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The airborne manoeuvre involved around 1,500 paratroopers deployed between the French and UK forces, testing the ability of European armies to work together.
"It’s quite a bold operation," Colonel Colomban de Poncharra, commanding officer of the French 3rd Marine Corps parachute regiment, said.
The drill aimed at three main objectives: speed of action, endurance and autonomy. "An airborne force dropped into an area must be able to hold out for 48 to 72 hours with its own drones, batteries and munitions," he explained.
The role of the parachute brigade is "to create a local breakthrough to unblock a tactical front and then enable the action to be resumed with much heavier assets", Colonel de Poncharra said.
"Our regiment is used to doing this kind of exercise," Dorian, a lieutenant from the 2nd Company of the 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment said.
"Nevertheless, this one is quite special because it has a joint-services dimension, with the navy, the air force, typically, but also a multinational aspect with the various nations taking part in the exercise. For example, on this aircraft I’ve got two Brits with us," he added.
High-intensity conflict simulation
The three-month drill launched two weeks ago mobilises 12,500 troops, 25 ships and 140 aircraft.
France and 24 countries are conducting large-scale military drills to prepare for high-intensity conflict, amid escalated threats from Russia.
"Exercise Orion is an opportunity for both brigades to work together, to practice working together, to remind ourselves what we need to develop and what works really well," Nick, a British liaison officer, said.
"We're also working with the Italians on this exercise and it's great to be jumping with the French, great to be jumping with the Italians and doing things together," he added.
The exercise uses a fictional conflict between "Arnland" and "Mercury" as a proxy for the current Russian threat in Europe.