Malaysian Defence Minister Boards Charles de Gaulle Amid RMAF-French Navy Joint Air Exercise
The French Navy's aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is home to a range of military assets, including Rafale fighter jets and Hawkeye airborne early warning and control (AEWC) aircraft. It is accompanied by escort vessels, including destroyers and support ships.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – On the first day of Ramadan, Malaysia’s Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, visited the French Navy’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle as it transited through Malaysian waters in the South China Sea.
Upon his arrival aboard the aircraft carrier, the Defence Minister was accorded a guard of honour by the French Navy. The 42,500 tonnes Charles de Gaulle serves as the central force of the French Carrier Strike Group (CSG).
“The CSG is a French Navy task force that integrates various assets and capabilities around it, enabling the Charles de Gaulle to execute a wide range of missions,” Mohamed Khaled stated on his official Facebook page today.
During the visit, the Malaysian Defence Minister received a comprehensive briefing on the carrier’s operations from Rear Admiral Jacques Mallard.
The aircraft carrier is home to a range of military assets, including Rafale fighter jets and Hawkeye airborne early warning and control (AEWC) aircraft. It is accompanied by escort vessels, including destroyers and support ships.
According to the Malaysian Defence Minister, the French Carrier Strike Group recently concluded joint naval exercises with regional partners and is currently engaged in multilateral discussions with various nations.
“This initiative is part of France’s ongoing efforts to strengthen regional defence ties and cooperation, including with Malaysia,” Mohamed Khaled noted.
Accompanying the Defence Minister on this visit were senior Malaysian defence officials, including the Chief of Defence Forces, General Datuk Mohd Nizam Jaffar; Secretary-General of the Ministry of Defence, Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali; Chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy, Admiral Datuk Zulhelmy Ithnain; and Deputy Chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force, Lieutenant General Datuk Seri Muhamad Norazlan Aris, representing the Air Force Chief.
In a statement, the French Embassy in Malaysia highlighted that the mission of the French Carrier Strike Group in the Indo-Pacific, known as CLEMENCEAU 25, was formally introduced to both Malaysian and French authorities, along with the operational capabilities of the aircraft carrier and its embarked air wing.
As part of this deployment, the French Carrier Strike Group also conducted a joint air exercise involving French Navy fighter jets and aircraft from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
“On March 2, off the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia near Kuantan, four French Navy Rafale fighter jets from the Carrier Strike Group participated in an air combat exercise with six Royal Malaysian Air Force jets—two Su-30MKM, two F/A-18D Hornets, and two Hawk aircraft,” the statement said.
“Such exercises enhance interoperability and strengthen military cooperation frameworks and procedures.”
“This high-level training, along with broader engagements with regional partners—particularly Malaysia—demonstrates France’s commitment to deploying military assets from mainland France to the Indo-Pacific. This is in addition to its permanently stationed forces in French overseas territories, reinforcing international law, sovereignty, and ensuring free and open access to shared maritime spaces,” the embassy added.
Malaysia and France share a longstanding defence partnership, with France placing high value on its collaboration with Malaysia, which is reinforced through high-level engagements.
A key example of this was the visit of the French Minister of the Armed Forces to Malaysia in December 2023.
“The bilateral military partnership is also extensive, including the deployment of PEGASE Air, special forces air exercises, as well as regular port calls and joint naval drills between the Royal Malaysian Navy and the French Navy,” the statement noted.
“Furthermore, and most importantly, cooperation in the defence industry has reached an advanced level, with both the Malaysian and French armed forces acquiring a wide range of military equipment from French defence companies.”
The French Embassy also reaffirmed that the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier has been deployed to the Indian and Pacific Oceans as part of the CLEMENCEAU 25 mission under the French Carrier Strike Group (CSG).
“The CSG comprises the aircraft carrier, its embarked air wing, and escort vessels, including frigates, submarines, and support ships. Since January, it has been operating in the Indo-Pacific region, engaging in a series of joint activities with regional partners, particularly Malaysia, during the LA PEROUSE 25 multilateral exercise in mid-January 2025,” the statement said.
This exercise, which focused on maritime security, was conducted in the Straits of Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok.
From January 16 to 18, the Royal Malaysian Navy’s KD Lekir and its embarked helicopter, alongside the KD Gagah Samudera, carried out joint manoeuvres with the French Navy’s air defence destroyer Forbin.
“These units had the opportunity to conduct coordinated operations, such as a militarized intervention on a vessel suspected of illicit activities (VISITEX), share perspectives on naval strategy, and enhance collective operational capabilities in one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors,” the statement highlighted.
Following this, the Carrier Strike Group proceeded to the Pacific Ocean, where it conducted the PACIFIC STELLER exercise in cooperation with the United States and Japan, before making a scheduled stop in the Philippines.
— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA
