Aircraft from the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group (VINCSG) and French Carrier Strike Group (CSG) fly in formation over the Philippine Sea with ships from VINCSG, French CSG, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) during #PacificSteller2025, Photo: Seaman Recruit Pablo Chavez
The French, US, and Japanese navies engaged in a series of joint maritime exercises in the Philippine Sea.
The exercise, 'Pacific Steller 2025', involved the participation of French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle and its aero naval strike group as part of the French input.
The exercise also involved ships from the US Navy's Vinson Carrier Strike Group (VINCSG) and Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force.
One of the keywords was "interoperability", which refers to the ability of international allied forces to deploy seamlessly and in a coordinated way.
During those operations, Papeete-based Commodore Guillaume Pinget, who heads the French Naval Command for the Pacific (ALPACI), was on board the Charles de Gaulle.
Senior leaders from the US Navy, French Navy, and the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force aboard French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle in the Philippine Sea during exercise Pacific Steller 2025 – 14 February 2025 Photo: US 7th Fleet
Pinget was formerly a Commander of the 40,000-ton aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle between 2019 and 2021.
He joined Admiral Nicolas Vaujour, the French Marine Nationale chief of staff, Charles De Gaulle Carrier Strike Group (CSG) Commander Rear Admiral Jacques Mallard, Admiral Steve Koelher, who head the US Pacific Fleet, and Commodore Natsui Takashi (Japan Maritime Self Defence Force).
The excercise was designed "to advance coordination and cooperation between French, Japanese and US maritime forces while simultaneously demonstrating capabilities in multi-domain operations, promoting a shared dedication to regional stability, and highlighting the US Navy's enduring power projection capability," the US 7th Fleet stated.
US Navy, French Navy, and the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force aboard French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle in the Philippine Sea during exercise Pacific Steller 2025 – 14 February 2025 Photo: US 7th Fleet
"Coordinated operations between USS Carl Vinson, FS Charles De Gaulle, and JS Kaga strengthen our alliances and deter our adversaries,", said Rear Admiral Michael Wosje, commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1.
"Together, we seek to maintain an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, free of all forms of coercion, and we're excited to work alongside our allies and partners who share that vision."
"It is a great opportunity for the French Carrier Strike Group to cooperate with our partners in the Indo-Pacific during the whole deployment. While France is a resident nation of the Indo-Pacific, it has not deployed its CSG to this part of the world for a long time," said Rear Admiral Jacques Mallard, commander, French CSG.
The French Carrier Strike Group consists of Charles De Gaulle, its embarked French Strike Force staff and carrier air wing, an air-defence destroyer, multi-mission frigates, a supply ship, an attack submarine, and a detachment of Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft.
The French carrier air wing flies the Rafale Marine (F4) fighter aircraft, E-2C Hawkeye, and Dauphin, Caiman Marine, and Panther helicopters.
The French CSG is currently engaged in Mission 'Clémenceau 25', sailing alongside its allies and strategic partners to promote a free, open and stable Indo-Pacific space for the benefit of French populations, interests, and those of their regional partners, within the framework of international law.
The US 7th Fleet describes itself as "the US Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region."
Earlier in February 2025, in the same region, the combined defence and armed forces of Australia, Japan, the Philippines, and the United States conducted a multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone.
The objective was once again to "demonstrate a collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific."
