HMS Dragon joins French navy's biggest exercise of the year

HMS Dragon has joined the French Navy for its biggest exercise of the year.

Split between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, Exercise Polaris 21 combines every aspect of combat at sea.

This includes carrier operations, anti-submarine warfare, mine clearance, amphibious landings, cyber threats and the latest drone technology.

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The Type-45 destroyer will be joined by 25 warships, support vessels and submarines from a number of navies for the two-week test of the French fleet.

In all, more than 6,000 personnel, two dozen ships, one nuclear submarine, Navy Rafale jets and French land and air forces are involved in the exercise.

Navies from Spain, Italy, Greece, and the US are also set to take part in the exercise.

The force is spending the first week 'warming up' and getting to know each other, before Exercise Polaris becomes more demanding, focusing on the French Carrier Charles de Gaulle battle group.

It is the third time this autumn the Royal Navy and Marine Nationale have worked together.

HMS Dragon became a star of the big screen when she appeared in Daniel Craig's fifth and final appearance as James Bond in the film 'No Time To Die'.