PARIS (AP) — France says it is taking “appropriate measures” after a naval officer used the Strava exercise app to inadvertently allow journalists to geolocate the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Mediterranean to help protect French and allied assets and interests during the war with Iran.
The carrier’s deployment this month was no secret, with its commander even briefing reporters via video link from the 42,000-ton nuclear-powered ship.
Still, French newspaper Le Monde caused a stir when it used Strava to locate a naval officer who allegedly used the performance app during a morning jog on March 13, allowing reporters to find the Charles de Gaulle in the Mediterranean using satellite imagery taken that day.
The newspaper said Thursday it believed the officer was jogging either aboard the carrier or one of its escort ships.
French military spokesman Colonel Guillaume Vernet said the use of Strava reported by Le Monde “does not comply with current guidelines. The command is taking appropriate measures.”
“In the course of their duties, sailors are regularly made aware of the security risks associated with connected devices, particularly the use of social media in their private lives and the potential for geolocation through digital applications,” Vernet told The Associated Press on Friday.
“In order to prevent the leakage of information related to ships, different levels of restrictions on the use of connected devices have been implemented within the French Navy. These levels of restrictions are determined by the command based on the level of threat,” he said.
On the same day as the naval officers went for their morning jog, the commander of the aircraft carrier group, French Navy Rear Admiral Thibaut Haudenos de Posses, briefed reporters on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier via video call.
The commander said that multiple warships, including French and allied frigates, are escorting the aircraft carrier, which carries 20 Rafale fighter jets, two Hawkeye reconnaissance aircraft and three helicopters.
“Le Monde” stated that as the war in Iran intensifies, it is dangerous to leak the location of the aircraft carrier battle group in almost real time on a public digital platform. On March 12, a drone struck a Kurdish military base in the Erbil region, killing French soldier Warrant Officer Arnaud Friant and injuring six others.
French President Emmanuel Macron this week announced the name of France’s next nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which will be larger than the Charles de Gaulle. The €10 billion ($11.5 billion) Free France (Free France) is expected to enter service in 2038 and can accommodate 30 Rafale fighter jets and 2,000 sailors.
The new ship displaces approximately 80,000 tons and is 310 meters (1,017 feet) long, while the Charles de Gaulle displaces 42,000 tons and is 261 meters (856 feet) long.