Trending Now - France Acts After Jogging App Reveals Navy Carrier's Location
WHO:
French military spokesman Col. Guillaume Vernet stated that the Strava usage reported by Le Monde “does not comply with the current guidelines.”
French Rear Adm. Thibault Haudos de Possesse, commander of the aircraft carrier group, briefed reporters in a video call from the Charles de Gaulle on March 13th, 2026.
French Navy officer
French military spokesman Col. Guillaume Vernet
French Rear Adm. Thibault Haudos de Possesse, commander of the aircraft carrier group
French President Emmanuel Macron
Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion
WHAT:
The new aircraft carrier, France Libre, will have a capacity for 30 Rafale fighter jets and 2,000 sailors.
A French naval officer inadvertently leaked the location of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle by logging a run on Strava.
The Charles de Gaulle is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier weighing 42,000 tons.
The carrier is currently deployed in the Mediterranean to protect French and allied assets during the Iran war.
The carrier is escorted by multiple warships, including French and allied-nation frigates.
The carrier is equipped with 20 Rafale fighter jets, two Hawkeye surveillance planes, and three helicopters.
France is developing a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier named France Libre, which will cost 10 billion euros ($11.5 billion) and is expected to enter service in 2038.
The France Libre will have a displacement of about 80,000 tons and a length of 310 meters (1,017 feet).
WHERE:
The Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier is located in the Mediterranean.
The jogging incident occurred on the deck of the Charles de Gaulle or one of its escort ships.
WHEN:
The jogging incident occurred on March 13th, 2026.
A drone attack on March 12th, 2026, targeted a Kurdish military base in the Erbil region.
The announcement of the new aircraft carrier's name was made by President Macron during the week of March 20th, 2026.
WHY:
Col. Guillaume Vernet emphasized that sailors are regularly made aware of the security risks associated with connected devices and social media in their private lives.
The use of Strava by the naval officer allowed journalists to geolocate the Charles de Gaulle, which is considered dangerous amid ongoing military operations in the Iran war.
The French military is taking “appropriate measures” in response to the incident to address security risks associated with connected devices.
HOW:
Different levels of restrictions on the use of connected devices are applied within the French navy, determined by the command based on the level of threat.
The location of the Charles de Gaulle was determined using a satellite image taken on the same day as the officer's jog.
French sailors are regularly informed about the security risks of using connected devices and social media in their private lives.
(UPDATED March 21, 2026 01:23 UTC)
In a recent briefing, French Rear Adm. Thibault Haudos de Possesse discussed the new aircraft carrier, France Libre, which will support 30 Rafale fighter jets and house 2,000 sailors. French military spokesman Col. Guillaume Vernet highlighted that the Strava usage reported by Le Monde does not align with current guidelines, stressing the importance of sailors being aware of security risks linked to connected devices and social media. He also noted that the French navy applies varying levels of restrictions on device usage, tailored to the assessed threat level.
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(UPDATED March 20, 2026 21:08 UTC)
In a concerning incident, a French naval officer accidentally revealed the location of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle by logging a run on Strava while it was deployed in the Mediterranean to support operations during the ongoing Iran war. The Charles de Gaulle, a nuclear-powered carrier weighing 42,000 tons and equipped with 20 Rafale fighter jets, is currently under the command of Rear Admiral Thibault Haudos de Possesse, and the French military is now taking appropriate measures to address the security risks posed by connected devices. Meanwhile, President Macron recently announced plans for a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier named France Libre, which is set to enter service in 2038 at a cost of 10 billion euros.