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Interview with US Navy CNO Admiral Richardson and Chief of French Navy Admiral Prazuck

Exclusive - Interview with US Navy ADM. Richardson & French Navy ADM. Prazuck

Interview with US Navy CNO Admiral Richardson and Chief of French Navy Admiral Prazuck

By Xavier Vavasseur - Navy Recognition's Chief Editor
Navy Recognition had the rare opportunity to conduct a joint interview with Admiral John Richardson, US Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and Admiral Christophe Prazuck, Chief of Staff of the French Navy (CEMM). This exclusive interview sheds light on the close cooperation between the United States Navy and the Marine Nationale.

Navy Recognition had the rare opportunity to conduct a joint interview with Admiral John Richardson, US Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and Admiral Christophe Prazuck, Chief of Staff of the French Navy (CEMM). This exclusive interview sheds light on the close cooperation between the United States Navy and the Marine Nationale.

Admiral John Richardson, US Chief of Naval Operations (left)
Admiral Christophe Prazuck, Chief of Staff of the French Navy (right)

In the past couple of years, there have been many combined naval operations between the French Navy and U.S. Navy (i.e. CSGs from both countries deployed together in the Arabian Gulf). How does your respective navy benefit from this high level of cooperation? Is this level of interoperability and integration between your two navies unprecedented?

Admiral John Richardson, US Chief of Naval Operations (CNO):
Our relationship with the French Navy goes back to the earliest days of our country, when the French Navy under the Comte de Grasse came to the aid of the United States. Today, our many opportunities to sail, work and fight together strengthen our individual navies and each country’s national security.

The most recent example of this terrific partnership happened during this year’s Charles de Gaulle (CDG) deployment to the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf. The CDG strike group commanded Task Force 50, which planned and carried out coalition strikes against DAESH in Iraq and Syria. During my recent visit to France, I had the opportunity to recognize the CDG Strike Group with a Meritorious Unit Citation for their extraordinary performance in this role. The fact that they were the first non-US unit to ever take command of Task Force 50 speaks volumes about just how developed our relationship is. Our ability to share information, plan combined missions and carry out strikes together helped coalition forces strike at DAESH command and control and logistics operations on the ground, demonstrating our combined resolve to defeat the scourge of terrorism.

During our conversations, CEMM and I discussed areas where we can continue to enhance an already-robust level of interoperability, trending towards more integration, between our two navies to include theater anti-submarine warfare, naval aviation and carrier cooperation.

Our level of collaboration will only continue to grow.

Admiral Christophe Prazuck, Chief of Staff of the French Navy (CEMM):
I couldn’t be more pleased with the level of cooperation reached in the last 3 years between our CSGs. It benefits both nations on two levels:
- On a strategic level, it demonstrates solidarity between allies. France was attacked –repeatedly– on her home soil. These attacks were coordinated and commanded by Daesh in Syria. Our cooperation‘s primary aim in this region is to suppress this enduring threat.
- On a tactical level: carrier strike groups are the most complex environment other ships can operate in. It does escort and support ships wonders to practice high-end tactics and techniques.

In the CSG world, undoubtedly, our level of cooperation is unprecedented. We also have a very close relationship in the underwater sphere; but the days of post-Cold war lax are gone. We need to up our game against the resurgence of a submarine threat. As two “full spectrum” navies, we obviously cooperate across the whole range of capabilities.

USS Harry S Truman and Charles de Gaulle aircraft carriers underway side by side as part of Dual Carrier Operations in the Arabian/Persian Gulf in February 2016. French Navy picture.

What do you expect of the next major events between the Marine Nationale and the U.S. Navy in terms of operational naval cooperation?

CNO: Throughout my tenure as CNO, I intend to prioritize key international partnerships, like that partnership we enjoy with the French Navy, through information sharing, greater interoperability initiatives, and increased numbers of combined operations. Beyond the success demonstrated by the recent work with the CDG strike group and recent collaboration on NATO and EU missions in the Mediterranean, both our navies have hosted multilateral dialogues on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. By virtue of having these conversations, we have identified opportunities to improve coordination and information sharing to maximize our support to maritime forces in the region. During the recent pirate attack on MT MAXIMUS in the Gulf of Guinea, the French Navy passed information to USNS SPEARHEAD. USNS SPEARHEAD tracked and identified the hijacked vessel and gave the ship's location and coordinates to the relevant local nations to conduct the necessary search and rescue mission. Again, this type of operation is indicative of our close partnership, and the French Navy’s ability to perform at the highest levels.

We also are taking advantage of opportunities to exercise air defense capabilities with French anti-air warfare frigates in support of the ballistic missile defense mission.

As I mentioned, I expect these types of operations to grow with time.

CEMM: First of all, interoperability can’t ever be taken for granted: you need to keep momentum. That’s why FR and US frigates and destroyers are, on a permanent basis, deployed to the same theatres. This is the baseline to allow bigger ships to integrate seamlessly when the need arises. I am absolutely clear that this work will continue when Charles de Gaulle is in refit. Her jets will also continue to deploy in the region, in order to remain familiar with a very complex regional environment and keep current with flat top operations.

Secondly, we both routinely operate in the Gulf of Guinea. This area is increasingly strategic for many reasons: natural wealth, political instability, rising piracy…I can see our cooperation flourish in this region, where France can provide a long-established regional expertise.

While Charles de Gaulle is refitting, our second biggest flat tops, the three “Mistral”-class LHA, will still be available and regularly deploying to Western Africa and the Indian Ocean. I reckon there is a lot of potential for future combined operations there.

Finally, we need to hone our advanced ASW skills. We do it better together. We also need to be more agile in information sharing. There’s a lot of recent history involved there; what with the growing high intensity threats returning to the high seas, we don’t have time for complex and inefficient procedures.

ARABIAN GULF (Jan. 13, 2014) A Rafale aircraft, assigned to the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, prepares to launch from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during carrier qualification integration. Harry S. Truman, part of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, is conducting operations with units assigned to French Task Force 473 to enhance levels of cooperation and interoperability, enhance mutual maritime capabilities and promote long-term regional stability in the U.S. Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Karl Anderson/Released)

Do you believe we could see French Navy jets flying combat missions from a US Navy aircraft carrier in the near future?

CNO: We have already conducted air wing training together on numerous occasions and continue to share information and carryout regular aviation personnel exchanges. If operations necessitated it, our two air wings could operate simultaneously from the decks of each other's aircraft carriers.

CEMM: Absolutely. French pilots are partly trained in the US; both navies practice catapult assisted take-offs and arrested landings. We have already demonstrated that F-18 could be operated from the CDG. It is technically and tactically absolutely realistic both ways.

So far, demonstrations of US - French interoperability have taken place mainly in the Persian-Arabian Gulf region. Could it happen in other parts of the world?

CNO: Building on the progress made so far, our two navies will continue work together wherever necessary to improve combined maritime and national security. From the Gulf of Guinea to the Baltic, the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean and elsewhere, we are collaborating and will continue to work together.

CEMM: I believe the root cause of this observation is quite simply that our interoperability is most visible in those heated areas of operation. You mentioned the Gulf, but as we speak, Charles de Gaulle is deployed in Eastern Med, operating alongside other US warships, as seamlessly as in the Gulf.

Are there other fields in which you cooperate?
CNO: I greatly appreciated my opportunity to work with Admiral Rogel. His effort to improve the interoperability of our two navies has been unprecedented, and exceedingly important. I look forward to working now with Admiral Prazuck and I know we will continue to nurture bilateral and multilateral efforts to increase our naval interoperability.

CEMM: I returned from the International Strategic Symposium in Newport (RI) last week with the warm feeling that this interpersonal relationship is here to last. Beyond respect, friendship and interoperability at sea, I sense that intensifying this CSG cooperation in the Gulf 3 years ago has opened a new era of strategic partnership between our navies.