The amphibious helicopter carrier (AHC) Tonnerre docked on Saturday at the port of Casablanca, where it will remain until September 16, then departing for the Gulf of Guinea.
According to the French Embassy in Morocco, this stopover is “an opportunity for the French and Moroccan navies to bolster their ties, particularly through joint activities, conferences, and visits planned for these four days.”
The vessel is hosting the 2025 class of SIREN (Regional Onboard and Digital Training Course), which includes one instructor and one trainee from Morocco among the 39 trainees from 21 countries in Africa and Southern Europe, according to the same source. These courses reinforce theoretical and practical knowledge of the state’s missions at sea (rescue, pollution control, and anti-piracy) as well as regional cooperation and crisis management.
During this stopover, a reception was organized on board, at the initiative of French Ambassador to Morocco Christophe Lecourtier and Captain Arnaud Bolelli, commander of the Tonnerre. It was attended by the Inspector of the Royal Navy, senior officers from the Royal Navy Inspectorate, and the Deputy Commander of the Casablanca Garrison.
In a statement to MAP, Lecourtier emphasized that “the stopover of the helicopter carrier Tonnerre in Casablanca and the planned interoperability exercises with Moroccan units are part of a broad and dynamic framework of France-Morocco military cooperation.”
In a similar statement, Captain Bolelli said that the ship’s first port of call in Morocco, which is embarking on a three-month mission, “reflects the very strong ties of cooperation and trust between the two countries,” noting that it provides “an opportunity to prepare joint interoperability exercises before continuing the mission to the Gulf of Guinea.”
For his part, Lieutenant Commander Emmanuel Vignet, director of the SIREN maritime academy, explained that the training provided by the academy covers the major themes of state action at sea, praised the “highly valuable” partnership with the Royal Naval Academy in Casablanca.
The amphibious helicopter carrier (AHC) Tonnerre , an assault helicopter carrier of the Mistral class, is the second largest ship in the French Navy after the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.
This multi-purpose ship, which can carry several helicopters and amphibious landing craft (for sea-to-land operations), 650 military personnel, a command area and a hospital, is known for its interoperability.
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