By Wang Zhengbo and Li Xiang

王正波 李享

French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle

法国海军“戴高乐”号航母

After the French frigate Bretagne completed a seven-month deployment, the French Navy plans to send several ships including the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Indo-Pacific region this month in an operation dubbed Clemenceau 25, according to foreign media reports.

据外媒报道，继“布列塔尼”号护卫舰完成为期7个月的部署后，法国海军计划于本月再向印太地区派遣包括“戴高乐”号航母在内的多艘舰艇，此次行动被命名为“克列孟梭25号”。

According to the information disclosed so far, these ships will form a Carrier Strike Group (CSG) with the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier as the core, which may include one Horizon -class air defense destroyer, two Aquitaine-class frigates (one anti-submarine and one anti-aircraft), one attack nuclear submarine, one Jacques Chevallier-class supply ship and two patrol ships, with an estimated 3,000 troops. In terms of carrier-based aircraft, the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier will carry two E-2C early warning aircraft, 24 Dassault Rafale fighter jets and four helicopters. The CSG plans to enter the Indian Ocean via the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, and then reach the Pacific Ocean. It will also make a "historic visit" to Japan and the Philippines. During the deployment, the Charles de Gaulle CSG will hold joint exercises with the navies of India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Canada, Japan and the UK to enhance interoperability.

根据目前披露的信息，这些舰艇将以“戴高乐”号航母为核心组成航母战斗群，具体可能包括1艘地平线级防空驱逐舰、2艘阿基坦级护卫舰（反潜型和防空型各1艘）、1艘攻击型核潜艇、1艘雅克•舍瓦利耶级补给舰和2艘巡逻舰，预计配备约3000人。舰载机方面，“戴高乐”号航母将搭载2架E-2C预警机、24架“阵风”战斗机和4架直升机。该航母战斗群计划经地中海、苏伊士运河和红海进入印度洋，而后进入太平洋，并对日本和菲律宾进行“历史性访问”。部署期间，“戴高乐”号航母战斗群将与印度、印度尼西亚、马来西亚、新加坡、澳大利亚、加拿大、日本和英国等国海军举行联合演习，以增强互操作性。

Analysts believe that the French Navy's Clemenceau 25 faces some practical problems.

分析人士认为，法国海军的“克列孟梭25号”行动面临一些现实问题。

The first is the security challenge. According to the plan, the Charles de Gaulle CSG will pass through geopolitical hot spots such as the Eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea. The complexity of these regions may bring security risks.

首先是安全挑战。按照计划，“戴高乐”号航母战斗群将途经东地中海和红海等地缘政治热点地区，这些地区的复杂性可能带来安全风险。

The second is the logistics pressure. The seven-month deployment of the frigate Bretagne shows that the main challenges for naval ships to continue sailing lie in the supply of spare parts, technical support and self-sufficiency capability. Considering that the Charles de Gaulle CSG has more ships and personnel, its logistical support pressure and complexity have increased significantly. Currently, the French Navy hopes to solve this problem with the newly commissioned supply ship Jacques Chevallier. The ship is 194 meters long, 27.4 meters wide, and has a full load displacement of 31,000 tons. It is the second largest ship in active service in the French Navy after the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. It can replenish supplies and ammunition for surface combatants and submarines when sailing and berthing. At the same time, the Charles de Gaulle CSG can also make use of the logistical support provided by its partners. The results remain to be seen.

其次是后勤压力。“布列塔尼”号护卫舰为期7个月的部署表明，海军舰艇持续航行的主要挑战在于备件供应、技术支持和自给能力。考虑到“戴高乐”号航母战斗群舰艇和人员数量更多，其后勤保障压力及复杂程度显著增加。目前，法国海军希望倚仗新服役的“雅克•舍瓦利耶”号补给舰解决这一问题。该舰长194米，宽27.4米，满载排水量3.1万吨，是继“戴高乐”号航母后法国海军现役第二大舰艇，可在航行和停泊时为水面战斗舰艇和潜艇补给物资及弹药。同时，“戴高乐”号航母战斗群还可利用合作伙伴提供的后勤支持。至于具体效果如何，还有待验证。

The third is the capability test. The communication reliability and command capability of the Charles de Gaulle CSG will be tested during the voyage in different sea areas. It will rely on the Marine Data Support Center established by the French Navy several years ago and share relevant data with allies to enhance data processing and sharing capabilities.

最后是能力考验。在不同海区航行期间，“戴高乐”号航母战斗群的通信可靠性和指挥能力将受到考验。为增强数据处理和共享能力，其将依托法国海军数年前建立的“海洋数据支持中心”，并与盟友共享相关数据。

Analysts pointed out that the French Navy intends to enhance its far-sea delivery capability and regional influence by deploying the CSG to the Indo-Pacific region. However, this move is not conducive to regional peace and stability. It also weakens the French Navy's power in Europe. Meanwhile, the French Navy may find it difficult to deal with emergencies.

分析人士指出，法国海军意图通过向印太地区部署航母战斗群，提升远海投送能力和地区影响力，但此举无益于地区和平稳定，同时也削弱了法国海军在欧洲的力量，如遇紧急情况，法国海军可能难以应对。