3e REI: 2025 Vega-C Rocket Launch | French Foreign Legion Information

On July 25, 2025, the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (3e REI) of the French Foreign Legion ensured perimeter security and area protection during the successful launch of the European Vega-C rocket from the Guiana Space Center.

At 11:03 p.m. local time, the Vega-C rocket lifted off as scheduled, carrying five satellites into orbit. Among them were four CO3D satellites, developed by Airbus Defence and Space for the French Space Agency (CNES), which will provide ultra-precise 3D mapping of Earth’s surface over an eight-year mission. The system will support both civilian and military applications. Also on board was a CNES climate-monitoring satellite.

This launch marked the fifth successful flight of the Vega-C launcher and the 27th overall for the Vega family since its first mission in 2012.

The 3e REI, a military reserve regiment based in French Guiana, South America, is tasked with several critical missions, foremost among them the protection of the Guiana Space Center — a strategic asset for both France and the European Union. This permanent security operation, known as Operation Titan, has been in effect since 2008 and involves continuous military presence to deter threats and safeguard space infrastructure in Kourou.

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