F.S. Tonnerre passes interoperability tests with U.S. Navy LCACS
By U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Joel I. Huval
ACT Public Information Office

May 14, 2007

NATO ImageNATO ImageNORFOLK, Va. -- The blasts of the fog horn were almost cries of frustration for the crew of the French amphibious assault ship Tonnerre.  Dense fog had delayed interoperability testing between French and U.S. Navy assets for almost an entire day.

The Tonnerre was less than two miles off the coast of Amphibious Base Little Creek to demonstrate its ability to embark U.S. helicopters and Landing Craft Air Cushion vehicles during the ship’s initial sea trials May 9-11.

ACT Photo

A French sailor watches as a U.S. landing craft, air cushion enters the bay of French amphibious assault ship Tonnerre during helicopter and LCAC interoperability qualifications. Click on the photo for a high resolution image. Photo by ACT Photo Lab.

While the fog periodically delayed some testing over the three day period, U.S. Navy LCACS and helicopters proved the French ship can land, launch and communicate with U.S. Navy assets.

The ship’s Commanding Officer Capt. Philippe Hello said while these tests were specifically for U.S. equipment, the ship is designed to accommodate assets throughout NATO.

“This ship is in line with the mission of the French forces,” Hello said.  “However, this is mainly an interoperability test to demonstrate that we are able to be any where in the world at any time to operate alongside Alliance and, specifically U.S. and coalition war ships.”

The Tonnerre, which was also designed as a NATO Response Force Command ship, was commissioned in February and will host the NRF Maritime Component Command for future NRF evolutions.  And, with 90 square metres of office space, the embarked MCC has enough room aboard the ship for all its command needs. 

French Navy Cmdr. Guillaume Delaroche, the exercise section head for the NATO Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Centre of Excellence, said these types of tests are essential for NATO’s maritime mission.

“It’s the mission of the CJOS CoE to welcome and integrate foreign units from any of the 13 sponsoring nations and other Alliance forces,” Delaroche said. “It’s important for us to take advantage of any training opportunities with the U.S. Navy.  The training we are going through now is proving our interoperability between Alliance nations.”

U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. David Tarwater, the training and readiness officer for Expeditionary Strike Group Two’s Exercise Division, said his work began with a trip in late March to the ship’s homeport, Toulon, to ensure Tonnerre’s well deck was prepared.

“We have been working with this ship since April and plan to have all tests complete by 19 May,” Tarwater said.  “Both the French and U.S. Navy sailors have demonstrated exceptional proficiency and we are ahead of our timeline.  Despite the weather delays, the Tonnerre crew have also received more training than we had planned.” 

Kent Taylor, the program manager for the Naval Sea Systems Command LCAC Program, said the foundation for this interoperability testing was laid during the ship’s construction, more than eight years ago.

“This vision for this ship, and its sister ship, the Mistral, was to create a ship with the ability to operate with our LCACs,” he said.  “I rode the first LCAC aboard during this test and it was as smooth as could be.  The French engineers who built this ship kept in mind all our engineering considerations that were required to make it interoperable with the LCAC.”

The Tonnere’s sea trials proved that if called upon, she stands ready to serve and fight alongside any naval forces within the NATO alliance.



-NATO-

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