The Mecca of French-style military diving hides its game well. The French Navy’s diving school in Saint-Mandrieux (Var) can be identified by two rusted hulls of decommissioned frigates that serve as “breakwater” here. . From atop the building on stilts (where the instructors’ offices and student locker rooms are located), Lt. Francois*, second in command of ECOPLONG (the school’s acronym), envisions the water plan: stated:Both ships block the winds and waves. Calm sea in all seasons, the depth varies from five to twenty meters. optimal conditions for beginners to dive and show how to work underwater.“. Because the title of the staff trained at Saint-Mandrieux is: work in the underwater environment and perform a predetermined mission there. In fact, especially under the smooth and transparent Mediterranean at the beginning of autumn, we can distinguish large pipes simulating a workbench, a workshop or a sewer network; classrooms somehow…
“Our role is to provide education and training, explains the corvette captain. There are four instructional groups. The first, called “Air”, is a common core for all weapons (land, air, sea). Aircraft divers (PLBs) are trained there and can operate at depths of up to 35 meters. 220 candidates each year for six-week sessions. Success rate: about 75%. We welcome you too the firemen…
Source: Le Figaro
