US and French officials came together to discuss ways both organizations can cooperate further in the European theater and globally in hydrography and oceanography.
 
“We intend to continue to expand upon collaboration with our French Allies to deliver the tactical advantage to our respective Fleets for combined Carrier Strike Group and Undersea Warfare operations.” said Piret.  “The only way to outpace the adversary is through partnership, which is core to the Naval Oceanography strategy as we consider ‘partnership’ a necessity to warfighting advantage…for both our countries, partnership is built into the basis of national defense.”
 
The foundation for this visit is in alignment with the 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS) priorities: (1) defending the homeland, paced to the growing multi-domain threat; (2) deterring strategic attacks against the U.S., Allies and partners; (3) deterring aggression, while being prepared to prevail in conflict when necessary; and (4) building a resilient Joint Force and defense ecosystem.
 
“SHOM and French navy recognize the benefit of the cooperation over the past 10 years with US Navy, regarding military surveys and exchange of hydrographic and oceanographic information.” said RADM Laurent Kerleguer, General Director of SHOM. “It provides operational superiority of navy at sea and support national security of both the United States and France.”
 
SHOM is a global player, operating in most of the world’s oceans to provide services to a wide range of civilian and military clients. French and U.S. naval forces operate around the globe every day.
 
Kerleguer added, “It is also fully supporting the goals of the Strategic Interoperability Framework recently signed by the French and US navies.”
 
The exercise of SHOM’s mission has three operational purposes:

• Defense support, in the hydro-oceanographic fields for the preparation of weapons and command systems, and operations
• National hydrography, for surface navigation requirements in waters under French jurisdiction and in areas under French cartographic responsibility
• Support for the development of maritime and coastal activities for the benefit of public authorities and economic players.

 
Piret met with the following French officials:  RADM Laurent Kerleguer, General Director of SHOM; Captain Jean-Luc Provençal, Chief of Staff, Strategic Oceanic Submarine Force; and Captain Tanguy Durand, Commander, French Aero-maritime Fast Reaction Force Mine Warfare Staff.
 
“It’s an honor to partner with the French Navy, our longest standing naval ally, to further our bilateral efforts in understanding the ocean.” said CDR Jonathan Savage, CNMOC International Programs Director (N5). “Our cooperation is quickly evolving beyond sharing oceanographic and hydrographic information as we continue to seek ways to advance towards interoperability to achieve operational advantage at sea.”
 
SHOM’s mission is to know and describe the physical marine environment in its relationship with the atmosphere, the seabed and coastal areas, to forecast its evolution and to ensure the dissemination of the corresponding information.
 
The Strategic Oceanic Submarine Force (French: Force Océanique Stratégique, FOST), comprising several French nuclear ballistic missile submarine based in French naval bases. French submarine forces comprise over 4000 military and civilian personnel of which an estimated two thousand are submariners.
 
Under the command of COMFRMARFOR, French Aero-maritime Fast Reaction Force Mine Warfare Staff (FRMARFOR/MW) is responsible for planning and conducting FR MW operations in peace time, crisis or conflict. The operational staff is organized to provide a Maritime Component Command with a MCM Tasking Authority or MW Subject Matter Experts. Based on MCM & maritime EOD experts, FRMARFOR/MW is also the laboratory of tomorrow’s MW operations. The staff is in charge of the FR MW data center, which integrates dedicated hydrographic and oceanographic data from SHOM.
 
U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command directs and oversees more than 2,500 globally-distributed military and civilian personnel who collect, process and exploit environmental information to assist Fleet and Joint Commanders in all warfare areas to make better decisions, based on assured environmental information, faster than the adversary.