French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated on Thursday the “success” of the extensive military exercise Orion, which he attended in Eastern France for its conclusion, and which he believes is “a clear signal sent both to our allies and our adversaries.” This exercise, in which several European countries participated, was launched in February to train the French army and NATO for new high-intensity wars.
“He showed us the credibility that Europeans have in being able to deploy such a large-scale operation together. And France is to be a leading nation in this context,” declared the French President in Suippes, Marne. “In my view, this is a very clear message that is being sent to our Ukrainian partners, who are waiting for us in this area, and to all our European brothers in arms,” he added.
During the day, the president visited the division’s command post, responsible for directing the action of all units launched in the reconquest of the terrain against a fictional enemy. He also witnessed shots fired from Caesar cannons, new mortars put into service in recent years, as well as machine gun fire from infantry in a trench. He was also presented with the latest equipment of the Army, made possible by the budgets provided in the military programming laws in recent years.
“What I saw today is an army that is moving forward, transforming, modernizing, (…) and is ready to meet the contemporary challenges that are ours,” declared Emmanuel Macron. “And that is why this exercise is so important, and you can be proud to have contributed to it.” It helps make France “a power recognized by its allies, feared by its enemies,” he emphasized.
The exercise took place in four phases since October, from operational planning to troop deployment in a coalition. Approximately 12,500 soldiers were engaged in this final phase with 1,800 tactical vehicles, 30 helicopters, and 800 combat drones. Six other countries participated: Belgium, Italy, Spain, Greece, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
