Exercise CATAMARAN Phase of POLARIS 2025

British and French troops this week stormed North Devon beaches on the CATAMARAN phase of CJEF Exercise POLARIS 2025.

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Royal Navy News Release, Whale Island, 06 June 2025: British and French troops stormed the beaches of North Devon together as they honed amphibious warfare tactics during two weeks of drills on both side of the English Channel.

This joint amphibious warfare training – codenamed Exercise CATAMARAN – is currently taking place for the first time in seven years. The exercise is in two phases, in Devon and in the Bay of Biscay, and will test the ability of allied nations to operate effectively together in a war-time scenario.

A combined Royal Navy and Marine Nationale task group of eleven warships, aircraft and some 3,000 troops are operating under the control of the joint French and British Combined Joint Expeditionary Force, which is designed for use in a wide range of crises – including the amphibious operations that are on show during CATAMARAN.

Support ships RFA Lyme Bay and RFA Argus have been acting as the launchpad for Royal Marines operations as Green Berets from 40 and 47 Commando carry out seaborne and helicopter commando raids onto the beaches and vast sand dunes at Braunton Burrows in North Devon. French and Spanish troops are also conducting amphibious landings as allies increase their ability to operate effectively together. It is the first time since 2018 that the Combined Joint Expeditionary Force has flexed its muscles and comes at an important time for European security. Notably, the exercises take place across the anniversary of the D-Day Landings (today June 6) – reflecting the continued relevance of these operations 81 years on since the largest amphibious landing in history.

Luke Pollard, Minister for the Armed Forces, said: “The enduring alliance between the UK and France underscores our shared commitment to addressing evolving security threats. Keeping our joint amphibious force ready and trained through exercises such as this is crucial for protecting not just the UK’s security but also that of our NATO allies.”

Major General Rich Cantrill, the Royal Navy’s Commander Operations who is responsible for commanding and orchestrating operations around the globe, said: “We’re delighted to participate in this ambitious French-led amphibious exercise and host its initial phase off the Devon coast.

“Amphibious operations are highly complex and so require regular practice. And we must stand united as allies, echoing our history from WWII and maintaining our ability to project power from sea to land.

“As warfare evolves, as we’ve seen with Ukraine, we have to adapt, and the Royal Navy is significantly transforming its Commando Force and the way it delivers operations in the littoral.”

Commander Alex Knight, Commander of the Amphibious Task Force, added: “This is an incredible opportunity to demonstrate the full spectrum of amphibious capability held within the UK’s Littoral Response Group.

“Following a busy year focused on contingent operations across the globe, CATAMARAN provides the UK Commando Force the freedom to explore how we operate as an Advance Amphibious Force, working alongside CJEF and NATO partner nations in demonstrating our ability and readiness to deliver this powerful capability from the sea.”

The second phase of the exercise – from tomorrow until June 15 – will see training carried out in the Bay of Biscay, with Royal Marines operating from French Navy ships and air assaults launched from Royal Navy Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset onto the French coastline. 845 and 847 Naval Air Squadrons of the Commando Helicopter Force will be flying the assault sorties over France and will be involved throughout CATAMARAN, with flying operations from RFA Argus.

Exercise CATAMARAN is the amphibious element of the wider French-led POLARIS 25 exercise, which sees allied nations working on warfighting skills together. Some 20 ships, 40 aircraft and 3,000 personnel are involved in the training in the Channel and Atlantic.

The Combined Joint Expeditionary Force was conceived following the 2010 Lancaster House Treaty and provides the framework for close military cooperation between the UK and France. This deep relationship will be further strengthened later this year as our two nations refresh the Treaty.

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POLARIS 25 Joint Amphibious Training Off Devon

As part of Exercise POLARIS 25, France conducted a rehearsal off Devon alongside its British, Spanish, Italian and Brazilian partners.

French MoD Press Release, Paris, 06 June 2025: [auto-translated] As part of the high-intensity operational readiness Exercise POLARIS 25, France conducted a rehearsal alongside its British, Spanish, Italian, and Brazilian partners. This exercise took place off the coast of Devon in south-west England and involved landing troops and equipment by air and sea in a tactical context.

The tactical command post of the Commandement de la Force Débarquée (Landing Force Command), manned by the 9e Brigade d’Infanterie de Marine (9th Marine Infantry Brigade), and 2e Régiment d’Infanterie (2nd Marine Infantry Regiment) were disembarked and their connectivity ashore and with the was ship tested.

A coordinated exercise between the French Navy and the French Army: For four days, air and sea rotations enabled land units aboard the amphibious helicopter carriers Dixmude and Tonnerre, as well as allied units (Spanish Galicia and Italian San Giorgio) to disembark daily. The perfect execution of this sequence, despite the difficult weather conditions, is a testament to the coordination between the French Navy and the Army’s amphibious units. Faced with inclement weather and rough seas, the embarked joint staff adapted the conduct of operations, drawing on the combined expertise of the sailors and land forces, all transformed into ‘amphibians’.

The scale and complexity of the exercise, the scenario chosen with a first entry into a rapidly escalating crisis, the joint and combined resources, and the diversity of training all confirm the value of Exercise POLARIS 25 in preparing forces for a hardened amphibious capability.

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