PARIS — During a significant visit to the French Frigate Chevalier Paul in the Mediterranean Sea, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman was welcomed by French Minister of Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu. The visit underscored the growing military collaboration between Saudi Arabia and France. A formal reception was organized in honor of Prince Khalid bin Salman, marked by a ceremonial inspection of the guard of honor and the playing of the national anthems of both countries. Highlighting the visit, Prince Khalid observed an air defense drill featuring several Rafale aircraft. He was briefed on the aircraft's state-of-the-art defense capabilities, as well as the advanced technologies they are equipped with. The minister also visited the command tower of the frigate, leaving a commemorative statement in the frigate's visitor book. Further insights into naval operations were provided at the frigate's operations center, where Prince Khalid was informed about the management of naval maneuvers and communication strategies with air, surface, and subsurface units. The visit was also attended by a delegation of high-ranking Saudi officials, including Chief of General Staff General Fayyadh Al-Ruwaili, Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs Dr. Khalid Al-Bayari, and Director General of the Defense Minister's Office Hisham bin Abdulaziz bin Saif, among others, reflecting the importance of the event in Saudi-French military relations.
