France Deploys One LHD And Two Frigates To The Eastern Mediterranean

The Tonnerre ship can carry helicopters, armored vehicles, tanks and troops | Laura Kayali/POLITICO  

Politico: The EU prepares for war — and this French ship is the tip of the spear 

France’s powerful amphibious helicopter carrier is a floating village with gyms and a boulangerie … plus missiles, machine guns, landing craft, choppers and tanks. 

ABOARD THE FRENCH HELICOPTER CARRIER TONNERRE — John Denver’s "Country Roads," a folk song from 1971, resounds through the Tonnerre. 

It’s 7:30 a.m., and some of the crew aboard the Mistral-class amphibious helicopter carrier are already eating breakfast — loading up on coffee, bread and jam ahead of a planned exercise to storm a Spanish beach. It's been a short night, and plans for the landing have changed several times. 

The French assault vessel — 199 meters long, 32 meters wide and able to carry 21,500 metric tons — is a key element in the European Union’s first live military exercise in October off the southern coast of Spain.  

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 France Deploys One LHD And Two Frigates To The Eastern Mediterranean 

France Deploys One LHD, Two Frigates to the Eastern Mediterranean -- Naval News  

France sends Mistral-class amphibious assault ship Tonnerre to help Gaza -- Navy Recognition  

French Tonnerre: Why Macron is sending the ship to Gaza -- BBC