France takes ‘appropriate measures’ after sailor’s jogging app exposes aircraft carrier’s location
PARIS (AP) — France says “appropriate measures” are being taken after a naval officer’s use of the Strava exercise app accidentally allowed journalists to geolocate the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier in France. Mediterrenian To help protect French and allied assets and interests during Iran war.
carrier’s distribution this month It was no secret, and its commander even briefed journalists via video link from the 42,000-ton nuclear-powered ship.
Still, French newspaper Le Monde caused a stir when it used Strava to locate a naval officer who said he used the performance app during his morning jog on March 13, allowing reporters to locate Charles de Gaulle in the Mediterranean. a satellite image It was taken on the same day.
The officer believed he was jogging either on the ship or on one of the escort vessels, the newspaper said Thursday.
French military spokesman Colonel Guillaume Vernet said the use of Strava, reported by Le Monde, “does not comply with current guidelines. Appropriate measures have been taken by the command.”
“In the course of their duties, sailors are regularly made aware of the security risks associated with connected devices, particularly the use of social media in their private lives and the potential for geolocation through digital applications,” Vernet told The Associated Press on Friday.
“To prevent any disclosure of information regarding a ship, different levels of restrictions are imposed on the use of connected devices in the French navy. These restriction levels are determined by the command depending on the level of threat,” he said.
French Rear Admiral Thibault Haudos de Possesse, commander of the aircraft carrier group, briefed reporters in a video call from Charles de Gaulle on the same day as the naval officer’s morning walk.
The commander said that many warships, including French and allied country frigates, accompanied the carrier, carrying 20 Rafale fighter jets, two Hawkeye surveillance planes and three helicopters.
Le Monde said it was dangerous to reveal the location of the aircraft carrier strike group in near real time on a public digital platform as the Iran war escalates. On March 12, a drone attack on a Kurdish military base in the Erbil region killed French military Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion and injured six others.
French President Emmanuel Macron this week announced his name of france the next nuclear-powered aircraft carrierHe will be bigger than Charles de Gaulle. The 10 billion euro ($11.5 billion) France Libre (“Free France”), which is expected to enter service in 2038, will have a capacity of 30 Rafale fighter jets and 2 thousand sailors.
The new ship will have a displacement of approximately 80,000 tons and a length of 310 meters (1,017 feet); Charles de Gaulle will have a weight of 42,000 tons and a length of 261 meters (856 feet).
