France deploys aircraft carrier to support Syria raids

France is deploying the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to boost its operations against so-called Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq. The presence of the nuclear-powered vessel, the flagship of the French Navy, will add to the twelve Rafale jets based in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan

Up to 40, including Rafale-M and

Contains detection,

Aircraft:

Island:

Super Etendard strike fighters, E-2C Hawkeye

early warning aircraft and AS565 Panther

helicopters

communications and

radar equipment

Carrier equipped

Takeoff:

with two steam catapults,

each capable of launching

one aircraft per minute

Aircraft

Landing:

Hangar deck

Accommodates

up to 25 aircraft

recovered by arrestor

cables. Flight deck can

handle massed landing

of 20 aircraft in 12 minutes

Runway

length

195m

Launched

May 1994, commissioned

in 2001

Armament

Four Aster-15 surface-

to-air missile launchers,

two Mistral short-range

missile launchers,

eight 20mm cannons,

four decoy launchers

Two nuclear

Propulsion:

reactors provide steam

for twin turbines with total

shaft power of 61MW

Displacement

42,000 tonnes (fully loaded)

Move planes between

Lifts:

Maximum speed

27 knots (50km/h)

hangar and flight deck

Length:

262m

Range

Unlimited, normal mission

45 days

Flight deck area:

12,000 sq metres*

Crew

1,250 ship’s company,

700 air group personnel

Source: Global Security

*Two-thirds the size of U.S. Nimitz-class carrier

France deploys aircraft carrier to support Syria raids

Up to 40, including

Contains detection,

Aircraft:

Island:

Rafale-M and Super Etendard

strike fighters, E-2C Hawkeye

early warning aircraft and

AS565 Panther helicopters

communications and

radar equipment

Carrier

Takeoff:

equipped with two

steam catapults, each

capable of launching

one aircraft per minute

Aircraft

Landing:

recovered by arrestor

cables. Flight deck can

handle massed landing

of 20 aircraft in 12 minutes

Runway

length

195m

Hangar deck

Accommodates

up to 25 aircraft

Armament

Four Aster-15 surface-

to-air missile launchers,

two Mistral short-range

missile launchers,

eight 20mm cannons,

four decoy launchers

Two nuclear

Propulsion:

reactors provide steam

for twin turbines with total

shaft power of 61MW

Move planes between

Lifts:

hangar and flight deck

Length:

262m

*Two-thirds the size of

U.S. Nimitz-class carrier

Flight deck area:

12,000 sq metres*

Launched

May 1994, commissioned in 2001

Displacement

42,000 tonnes (fully loaded)

Maximum speed

27 knots (50km/h)

Range

Unlimited, normal mission 45 days

Crew

1,250 ship’s company, 700 air group personnel

Source: Global Security

France deploys aircraft carrier to support Syria raids

Up to 40, including Rafale-M

Aircraft:

and Super Etendard strike fighters,

E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft

and AS565 Panther helicopters

Rafale-M

Landing

Aircraft recovered

by arrestor cables.

Flight deck can

handle massed

landing of

20 aircraft in

12 minutes

E-2C

AS565

Propulsion

Two nuclear

reactors provide

steam for twin

turbines with

total shaft power

of 61MW

Hangar deck

Accommodates

up to 25 aircraft

Move planes

Lifts:

between hangar

and flight deck

Island

Contains

detection,

communications

and radar

equipment

Takeoff

Carrier has two

steam catapults,

each capable

of launching

one aircraft

per minute

Runway length

195m

Armament: Four Aster-15

surface-to-air missile launchers,

two Mistral short-range missile

launchers, eight 20mm cannons,

four decoy launchers

Length:

262m

Flight deck area:

12,000 sq metres

Two-thirds the size of U.S. Nimitz-class carrier

May 1994, commissioned

Launched:

in 2001

42,000 tonnes

Displacement:

(fully loaded)

27 knots (50km/h)

Maximum speed:

Unlimited, normal mission

Range:

45 days

1,250 ship’s company,

Crew:

700 air group personnel

Source: Global Security