1er REG: 2022 Exercise Rubicon | French Foreign Legion Information

Between November 7 and 10, 2022, the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) participated in Exercise Rubicon. The so-called high-intensity exercise took place mainly in Laudun, the regiment’s garrison town, and its surroundings.

Around 500 soldiers from different units partook in the exercise, including frogmen and three companies of the 1er REG, as well as legionnaires from the 13e DBLE. The goal of the exercise was to carry out tasks in real war conditions, and face to face with an equally technologically advanced adversary. The scenario, inspired by the current conflict in Ukraine, demanded that the soldiers and their equipment had to cross the Rhône River to gain ground on the bank controlled by the enemy; without using the existing bridges and without being detected. Therafter, the men were engaged in urban warfare in the town with a real gunfire.

The next phase of the exercise allowed the 13e DBLE legionnaires to train an air assault operation with combat helicopters.

On the third day of the exercise, in continuous and pouring rain, the soldiers carried out an unprecedented operation to restore an abandoned port to working order. The legionnaires had to secure the installations, clear them of mines, clean up the entire site, clear the road and river accesses, clear the area, reinforce the quay, and finally simulate the re-establishment of a summary activity. Numerous skills were involved: mine clearance, decontamination, engineering and artillery, including a missile and guns placed near the river to protect the area. Other means, such as a water treatment unit, were also mobilized. The difficult weather conditions complicated the mission. However, it was successfully achieved.

The last day, the evacuation of the civilian population from a war zone was trained.

This really complete training was organized in view of the next large French military exercise called Orion, which will be held next spring, in which the 1er REG will participate.

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