Newsnomics AJAY ANGELINA reporter |
France has dispatched a massive contingent of warplanes, including 10 Rafale fighter jets, to the Indo-Pacific under the Pégase mission 2023 to increase its regional presence and influence.
The contingent participating in the mission will comprise 19 warplane consists of 10 Dassault Rafale B and C multirole fighters, five A330 MRTT refueling aircraft, and four Airbus A400M transport planes mentioned by the French defense ministry in its Press release.
On June 25, the French Military tweeted to announce the commencement of the mission as well as shared images of the military aircraft involved in the operation.
According to the French defense ministry, “the French Air Force and Space will lead the Pégase mission 2023 that will unfold three major phases from June 25 to August 3.”
The Pégase 2023 mission will involve a simultaneous power projection to Malaysia and Singapore, covering a distance of over 11,000 km from metropolitan France, with a technical stopover at the air base of the French Forces in the United Arab Emirates (FFEAU) from June 25 to 28,2023.
The Pégase 2023 contingent will be divided into two groups, each heading towards Malaysia and Singapore by following their initial stop at Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE.
The two groups, after their engagements in the Southeast Asian countries will participate in extensive multi-national exercises led by the US military in Guam and Palau from July 2 to 21, 2023.
During this period, air assets such as A400M and MRTT will be deployed to support the French forces per manently stationed in the country’s overseas territories of New Caledonia and French Polynesia to carry out various missions.
Lastly from July 24 to August 3, the mission will entail “valued stopovers” in South Korea, Japan and Indonesia. Each stopover will involve joint training sessions with partner air forces.
Following the completion of their mission, the French team will make their journey back home travelling to Djibouti.
