According to local media and the Danish TV2 website, the giant French helicopter carrier “Mistral” has arrived in Danish waters, on a joint military training mission with the Danish armed forces.
On the 200-meter-long deck of the carrier, Danish pilot Casper, along with his crew, was preparing to launch a Danish Air Force Seahawk helicopter as part of a joint military exercise with his French counterparts aimed at enhancing operational integration between European forces and demonstrating unified military power to send a message to Russia.
European deterrent message to Russia
“This is all about deterrence,” Kasper told TV2. “We have to show our seriousness when we train with the strongest military force in Europe,” he explained, noting that the exercises were taking place in the Skagerrak area, just 50 kilometers from a Russian warship that was monitoring the movements.
Kasper added: “There are a number of Russian units in this area right now. I have no doubt that Russia is watching us when we conduct such exercises.”.
The French aircraft carrier is scheduled to arrive in the capital, Copenhagen, on Saturday at 2 p.m., where the following days will see a gun salute and a visit from the King of Denmark, Frederick X.
This visit represents one manifestation of the growing military cooperation between Denmark and France, a cooperation that was strengthened last April through the signing of a joint defense agreement.
Weapons of war and foreign soldiers aboard the giant French aircraft carrier
The Mistral carries 600 crew members, including 100 soldiers from the French Foreign Legion, as well as 16 helicopters and armored landing craft capable of transporting up to 200 soldiers on land, and 100 armored vehicles positioned below the takeoff deck.
In addition to exercises in the Baltic Sea, French refueling aircraft are simultaneously supporting Danish F-16 fighters during exercises in the Arctic and Greenland.
Also on board was the Danish military attaché in Paris, Nicolas T. Veicherts, who told TV2: “We want to show, especially to the Russians, that NATO and Europe are capable of fighting and training together, with the aim of deterring Russia from going too far in Ukraine.”.
The Mistral is one of three helicopter carriers owned by France, and it was previously used in NATO operations in Libya in 2011.
French arms deal worth 25 billion Danish kroner
Military attaché Vicherts confirmed to TV2 that Danish interest in the French defense industry is growing: “I have become very busy lately. I can really notice the growing interest in the French defense industry.”.
In April, the Danish Ministry of Defense submitted a request to purchase a large quantity of French missiles for the army. France is now one of the leading candidates to supply Denmark with a surface-to-air missile defense system, in a historic deal worth 25 billion Danish kroner, making it one of the largest arms deals in the country's history.
The Danish government is seriously considering France as a major arms supplier, especially in light of growing European calls for military self-reliance, as advocated by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen explained to the website: “I see enormous potential in our partnership with France. Close cooperation is very worthwhile, especially if we want to reduce our dependence on the United States.”.
French support for Denmark and Greenland in the face of Trump's threat to annex the island.
French President Macron recently visited Greenland, where he met with Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, in a visit that demonstrated strong French support for the kingdom in the face of annexation threats made by former US President Donald Trump.
Danish-French cooperation
It is worth noting that Danish forces have previously participated in French operations in Africa, including counter-terrorism and anti-piracy operations in Mali and West Africa.
Pilot Kasper commented: “If Denmark is threatened, we cannot stand alone. We need strong partners like France.”.
Regarding language barriers during training with the French, Kasper noted that the pilots use standardized English, in addition to NATO's special codes, which facilitates military coordination between the different crews.
