Vice Admiral Gilles Boidevezi to visit Romania, from Wednesday to Friday

Vice Admiral Gilles Boidevezi, Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Maritime Zone (CECMED), will pay a visit to Romania from Wednesday to Friday as part of Franco-Romanian military cooperation, the French Embassy said, agerpres reports.

"France maintains privileged relations with its Romanian partner, especially in the military field. Attached to the freedom of maritime and air traffic, the French armed forces thus ensure a regular presence in the Black Sea, benefiting from the support offered by Romania," the diplomatic mission said on Tuesday.

Thus, "the collaboration between France and Romania is materialized especially in the naval field, where the cooperation between the two naval forces is dynamic, both in terms of operations and in the field of training".

Vice Admiral Gilles Boidevezi will meet with representatives of several Romanian military authorities, including General Daniel Petrescu, Chief of the Defence Staff.

The Vice Admiral will also visit Constanta, where the multi-role frigate (FREMM) "Auvergne" will call between December 16 and 20.

This ship is deployed in the Black Sea as part of the presence missions, regularly carried out by the French Navy in the maritime areas of Europe, in collaboration with its allies in NATO and the European Union.

The stopover of the frigate "Auvergne" in the port of Constanta is part of the bilateral cooperation plan between the French and Romanian navies. In the port, the crew of the French frigate will have an exchange of experience with the representatives of the Romanian Naval Forces, in order to share the expertise and knowledge between the allies. After the departure of the ship from the port of Constanta, joint exercises with the Romanian Naval Forces are planned at sea.

Commanded by Paul Merveilleux du Vignaux, the "Auvergne" multi-role frigate has a crew of 150 sailors, is part of the "Aquitaine" Class, is versatile, durable and easy to handle. The ship is equipped with advanced automated systems and is one of the leading frigates of the French Navy. They form the backbone of the French Navy's surface fleet and are involved in the renewal of its frigate component, a true pillar of the French naval forces.

FREMM's anti-submarine combat capabilities are recognized as among the most effective in the world. These frigates carry out multiple missions and are capable, in particular, of performing deep-sea precision missiles with naval cruise missiles. FREMM's capabilities allow France to maintain an autonomous assessment of the situation and its ability to intervene quickly at sea and on land.