Thanks to his expertise in maritime logistics from the British "Royal Navy," he provides technical support within a partner operational headquarters. The interview highlights the close collaboration between the armed forces of the two nations, facilitated by common operational standards. The officer expresses a positive return on the professionalism of his counterparts and looks forward to continuing his mission in Paris after completing his studies at the French War School between 2024 and 2025.

Can you introduce yourself ? 

I am Lieutenant commander Paul, an exchange officer in France specializing in maritime logistics. I have been assigned to Paris at the Interarmy Command Expert Center since the summer of 2025. Last year, I had the opportunity to complete my senior officer training at the War School in France.

What is your role within the ORION 2026 exercise ? 

Since my arrival at the Interarmy Command Post in Cinq-Mars-la-Pile, I have joined the team as an interarmy logistics expert. I provide support to the air, maritime, and land components for the upcoming phases, using my experience in maritime logistics. I have been able to assist my French colleagues in drafting the framing documents in English, although the level has been very high from the beginning. After the planning phase, I will continue my mission from Paris, where I will be a member of the exercise animation direction. We will animate the O2 component, respecting the planned scenario that will involve high-level operational dilemmas for the different components, ensuring the realism of the exercise.

Can you tell us about the collaboration between France and the United Kingdom in this context?

In the United Kingdom, I already worked with the Army and the Air and Space Force as an officer of the British Navy. My experience in France in an interarmy environment has allowed me to see that our armies, despite different cultures, work in a homogeneous and coordinated manner. For my career, this brings a lot. Moreover, the assignment of around sixty exchange and liaison officers in France demonstrates a strong and lasting bilateral relationship between our two countries.