VIDEO

Two days after the national tribute paid to Sergeant Anicet Girardin in Suippes, Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin returned there at the request of the President of the Republic on Thursday, April 30. The goal was to attend the closing of the large-scale military exercise Orion 26.

Emmanuel Macron traveled to Mailly-le-Camp and then to Suippes on Thursday, April 30, for the closing of the Orion 26 military exercise. Joining him were the Minister of the Armed Forces, Catherine Vautrin, the Chief of Staff of the Army, Fabien Mandon, and General Pierre Schil, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, as well as regional elected officials, including François Baroin, Mayor of Troyes.

The President had previously visited military grounds in Marne in 2018 to observe military training, and in 2024 to meet Ukrainian soldiers in training.

The visit included a presentation of the scenario based on NATO standards to prepare soldiers for high-intensity combat, discussions with soldiers on the functioning of command posts, participation in a helicopter raid and flying over a network of trenches, as well as artillery firing demonstrations. Around 2 pm, the President and the Minister boarded an NH-90 Cayman, escorted by several Tiger combat helicopters. They experienced low-altitude and high-speed flight phases, a technique used to evade enemy fire, before heading to Suippes. The simulation continued on the ground, with exchanges of fire from Caesar and Griffon, as well as a presentation of the DT-46 artillery reconnaissance drone, deployed for a year for the Eagle mission in Romania. Aerial bombings, low-altitude flights of two Mirages, explosions, and machine gun fire followed, all according to the Orion 26 scenario.

Around 12,000 soldiers, 1,800 vehicles, and 800 drones were deployed for Orion, with several nations involved including Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The final phase of the operation in Marne, due to its extensive terrain, required a significant deployment.

This official visit took place in a particular context. On Tuesday, April 28, at the 132nd infantry regiment of Suippes, Minister Catherine Vautrin presided over the national tribute to Sergeant Anicet Girardin, 31, who passed away from injuries sustained in Lebanon. On Wednesday, April 29, a fire broke out near the Suippes military camp, affecting 20 hectares of vegetation. The fire is still ongoing but has not disrupted operations.