On April 19th, the fourth and final phase of the French large-scale exercise ORION (Operation de grande envergure pour des armées résilientes, interopérables, orientées vers le combat de haute intensité et novatrices) 23 officially commenced. The French army mobilized all branches of its armed forces, with the participation of troops from several NATO member states. A total of approximately 12,000 soldiers were ready to participate in ORION, accompanied by thousands of vehicles and hundreds of combat vehicles. The exercise also involved dozens of combat aircraft, drones, helicopters, and units from the French Navy. It marked the largest military maneuver in France in over 30 years.
The last comparable exercise with a similar number of soldiers took place in 1987. ORION primarily focused on the Grand-Est region in eastern France, with particular emphasis on the area around Reims. The exercise aimed to enhance the resilience, interoperability, combat readiness, and innovation of the participating forces, reflecting the evolving security challenges in the current geopolitical landscape. The engagement of NATO allies demonstrated the importance of collective defense and the joint commitment to maintaining regional security.