Kutse

él M IN ISTÈRE DES ARMÉES Liberté Égdlité Fraternité ,/ 2 .wo.ut tat 5

Marine nationale Etat-maior de la Marine

Pôle << opérations aéronavales >r

Paris,tu n/o.-.

Exercise ORION 2026 wilt be conducted from 8 February to 2 March 2026in the North-Eastern Atlantic,

off the French coasts. This 3-yearly major joint exercise will take place in a multi-domain environment to

train, proof and enhance interoperability and combat readiness, in full appliance with STANAGS.

The French Navy will commit most of its major assets, to include the Carrier Strike Group around the

nuclear carrier'Charles de Gaulle', a French amphibious task group around two LHD, destroyers, surface

combatants, maritime patrol aircraft, submarine forces and special forces. As is customary, the French

Air Force and French Ârmy will also contribute with numerous assets to ensure a well-resourced multi-

domain environment.

Exercise ORION 26 will consist of three successive phases of one week each.

The first phase (B to 1S February) will focus on air operations and create the opportunity for the carrier

vessel wing to conduct long range flights and collaborate with air force assets to establish air superiority

and conduét first deep strikL opèrations. This first phase will be used by naval forces notably to conduct

serialised force integration training.

The second phase (15 to 23 February) will focus on multi-domain naval operations, an opportunity for all

participants io fight for air-sea superiôrity as well as to finalize and execute the amphibious phase. This

phase will be the main focus in terms of maritime training.

The third phase (24 February to 1 March) will focus on land operations, following the amphibious phase.

During this phase, maritime forces will partially disperse and have the opportunity for an initial de-brief

ashore in Brest.

The main planning conference (MPC) will be held in Paris during week 24 ot 2025 (early June), with the

finalcoordinating conference in week 47 (mid-November).

It is my conviction that such a high-profile joint training will be beneficial to all participants, and I have the

pleasure to invite the Estonian Nâvy to take part in it. Should you decide to investigate the matter further,

bOn Uargal Guibert from my staff (address below) will be your point of contact. He will assist yours in

devising the best participation options and related solutions.

An indication of willingness received before the MPC in June 2025 would be greatly appreciated.

tâz^"/.lcua a4" /z miral Slaars

TO: - Commodore lvo Vârk, Chief of Navy, Estonia

Navy Com Operations,

60 boulevard du général Martial Valin CS 21263 - 75509 Paris Cedex 15 martial quibert@ intradef.qouv.fr Filed by: CF GUIBERT