One of the peculiarities of the Jeanne d’Arc 2024 mission of the French National Navy was the participation of its naval group in evacuation operations in Haiti. On that occasion, the amphibious assault ship Tonnerre played an essential role as a platform, as detailed by Captain Adrien Schaar during the press conference held on April 25th.
When asked by Zona Militar about the most relevant aspects of the operations in Haiti, the Commander of the Tonnerre PHA highlighted the operational experience, capabilities, and commitment of the French military personnel involved in the evacuation.
The first aspect emphasized by CN Schaar was that “…we had all the capabilities and operational level to carry out this mission. We did it very quickly, effectively, with all the people who wanted to evacuate Haiti…”.
The Tonnerre Commander expressed that during the evacuation operations, the personnel and resources involved had to face a very difficult situation. “…(It was) a threat difficult to assess. We accepted to do it without any casualties. We were shot at, but thanks to the tactical capabilities of the deployed resources, such as flying at night and changing routes, we did not receive any further fire…”.
It is worth noting that evacuation flights from Port-au-Prince began on the morning of March 24th with the support of at least one H225M Caracal and one AS 532 Cougar Renové, helicopters belonging to the 4th Regiment of Special Operations Helicopters, a unit that is part of the French Army Light Aviation (ALAT).
The special operations aircraft were transported by A400M Atlas of the French Air and Space Army to the Aimé Césaire International Airport in Martinique. Once on the ground, the helicopters headed to meet the Tonnerre, with Haiti as their final destination.
The ability to operate in overseas territories was another aspect highlighted by CN Schaar. “…The second lesson (learned in Haiti) is that this group traveling around the world will complement itself with the French forces that are already pre-positioned in our overseas territories. There are French forces in Martinique, we have formed a group with these very capable elements. What was done in Haiti demonstrated the relevance of having pre-positioned personnel and resources…”.
The evacuation operations in Haiti once again demonstrated “…the heart of the French soldiers, because it was very risky. We were shot at, there were people to evacuate, and the French soldiers, our Commandos, never hesitated. The people and compatriots we evacuated, who spent between three to six days aboard the Tonnerre, highlighted the empathy of the French soldiers and sailors…” added CN Schaar.
“There were children, grandmothers. Everyone, before disembarking, came to see me, ‘Commander, your crew and soldiers are amazing.’ Our country was able to be present and evacuate them…” mentioned the Tonnerre Commander.
Captain Schaar emphasized the significant operational experience of the French Armed Forces, particularly the Marine Nationale. “…We are one of the leading navies in the world, and the first in Europe, we conduct operations all year round, worldwide…”.
The Tonnerre PHA, along with the frigate Guépratte, recently visited the port of Buenos Aires within the framework of the Jeanne d’Arc mission. It was planned that both ships would set sail yesterday, heading towards waters near Mar del Plata, in order to carry out combined exercises with the Argentine Navy. Once these activities are concluded, the French naval group will visit Ushuaia, to continue its journey towards the Pacific.
Acknowledgments: CN Adrien Schaar; Marine Nationale; Embassy of France in Argentina; Press Team of the Embassy of France in Argentina; Crew of the PHA Tonnerre.
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