French Military Jets Take a 40-Day Flight Around the World to Show Strength and Build Friendships

Four French fighter jets lifted off from a military base in southern France on Tuesday and began a 40-day trip around the world. The jets will fly about 25,000 miles, cross three continents, and make nine stops along the way. The mission is called Pegase 26, and its goal is to show that France is a strong partner that can help protect its friends no matter where they are. The trip comes at a time when big countries like China and the United States seem more focused on acting alone rather than working with others.

The four planes are called Rafale jets — two have one seat and two have two seats. They left Istres Air Base in southern France and will fly through the icy Arctic, the hot tropics, and finally end their journey in Egypt. Along the way, they will work side by side with air forces from Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and India. It took almost a year to plan this mission, and around 300 people are helping to run it from a headquarters near the city of Lyon in eastern France.

Three refueling planes and two transport aircraft are also part of the mission. Because the jets need fuel to fly such huge distances, they refueled in midair five times just on the first leg from France to Alaska — a flight that took nearly 11 hours. A special support plane that can land on ice was stationed over Greenland to help along the way. Flying over Greenland was a first for this mission, which has taken place every year since 2018.

France's deputy defense minister, Alice Rufo, explained why exercises like this one matter. "If we're called upon to act together in the face of a threat, we need to be immediately interoperable," she said. That word means different countries' military forces must be able to work together smoothly. She added that this kind of teamwork doesn't happen on its own — it has to be practiced and prepared. "In practical terms, we fly together, we land together, we work together," she said.

The route over Greenland was chosen for a special reason. The commander of Pegase 26, General Julien Sabènè, said it gives France another path to reach the Asia-Pacific region if needed. He also pointed out that climate change is making the Arctic easier to reach — and that countries like Russia and China are paying more attention to the area. "There is a need for us to be present in the High North alongside our allies," he said. Greenland is a self-governing territory belonging to Denmark, which is a member of NATO.

The mission also carries a political message. Six months ago, French President Emmanuel Macron offered to share France's nuclear protection with European partners. Some Rafale jets are built to carry nuclear-armed missiles, and the same type of refueling planes used in Pegase 26 would support them. However, Pegase 26 is not a nuclear mission — the jets carry no real weapons, only fake ones that add weight and change how the planes fly to make the training more realistic. Still, pilots from France's Strategic Air Force, which handles part of France's nuclear weapons, are taking part.

Deputy Minister Rufo said the mission shows that a country is stronger when it works with friends. She believes that no nation can truly protect itself on its own. "Sovereignty can only be effectively exercised within a network of partnerships, and the exceptional number of partners involved in this mission demonstrates that," she said. The jets will fly through the Persian Gulf area, including Qatar, before finishing in Egypt. Their route proves that France can move its military aircraft quickly between the Arctic, the Pacific, and the Middle East whenever needed.