'Threats' neutralised as HMS Dauntless 'defeats' hostile Channel forces with FS Charles de Gaulle carrier
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‘World class’ tactical drills sharpened the skills of Royal Navy sailors who linked up with a huge French aircraft carrier.
Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless joined forces with FS Charles de Gaulle and her carrier strike group for a range of operations. This is the air-defence warship’s first outing since returning to HMNB Portsmouth last year from the Indo-Pacific.
Operations room supervisor LS(AWT) Tom Foley said: “It’s been an interesting experience working with the Charles de Gaulle task group. The team and I particularly enjoyed the war at sea exercise as it allowed us to be adaptive and tactical in how we were going to find and defeat the enemy. It being more free-play made it different from most exercises I’ve done before.”
What did HMS Dauntless experience?
Alongside a Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Dauntless took part in Operation Orion alongside French, Dutch, German, Spanish and Moroccan warships. They conducted intense anti-air warfare drills, as well as surface warfare exercises and replenishment at sea drills.
The operation involved 12,500 personnel, 25 ships and 140 aircraft. It was a key phase within the wider French Carrier Strike Group Operation Lafayette 2026 deployment. The French carrier has an airwing centred on Rafale M fighters, alongside Hawkeyes and helicopters.
HMS Dauntless was involved in a 48-hour ‘war-at-sea’ exercise, with the destroyer working with the French carrier and her escorts to protect the English Channel from hostile forces. The Royal Navy said the warship ”defeated” the ”threats” - played by Nato warships who were attempting to gain control of British and French coastlines.
She was also jointly supplied in a replenishment at sea drill by Marine Nationale’s newest supply ships, AFS Jacques Stosskopf, and the Dutch vessel HMNLS De Ruyter. The Wildcat aircraft provided key maritime awareness and targeting information, helping to locate and track surface adversaries.
Flight Commander Lieutenant Sam Burton, of 815 NAS, said: "This was an excellent opportunity for the squadron to refine warfighting capabilities with multiple NATO partners in the English Channel and underlines the UK’s ongoing commitment to the Alliance and to maintaining credible, combat‑ready force able to deter and respond to aggression."