Romanian-French joint military exercises in the Black Sea

About 1,000 Romanian and French troops participated on Monday in a joint military exercise in the Romanian and international waters of the Black Sea. The join action included surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and anti-aircraft warfare exercises, maritime and air surveillance activities, and exercises of control and inspection of ships suspected of illicit trafficking at sea, reports local Mediafax. The Romanian Navy participated in the exercises with seven ships and two Puma Naval helicopters, and the Romanian Air Force joined the action with two MIG 21 LanceR aircraft. Moreover, the French Navy brought the Jean Bart frigate to the exercises in the Black Sea. The French military ship arrived in Romania’s Constanta Port last Thursday. Before that, the frigate took part in a PASSEX exercise in the Romanian waters of the Black Sea, together with Romania’s Marasesti frigate. The Jean Bart frigate is a class F 70AA ship that can carry anti-aircraft combat missions in aero-maritime operations and maritime crisis management operations. The ship can intervene anywhere in the world, along with other allied or international military platforms. PM: Romania wants an active NATO presence in the Black Sea region Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com (Photo source: Navy.ro)