[PDF] france aircraft carrier charles de gaulle

When did the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle enter service?

The current French aircraft carrier, the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle, entered service on 18 May 2001. As the only aircraft carrier of the French Navy, the ship's maintenance periods leave France without an available aircraft carrier.

What type of missile does Charles de Gaulle carry?

4 × 8 cell A-43 Sylver launchers carrying the MBDA Aster 15 surface-to-air missile. Charles de Gaulle is the flagship of the French Navy. The ship, commissioned in 2001, is the tenth French aircraft carrier, the first French nuclear-powered surface vessel, and the only nuclear-powered carrier completed outside of the United States Navy.

Will Charles de Gaulle be nuclear powered?

The ship will be nuclear-powered and feature the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) catapult system. The current French aircraft carrier, the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle, entered service on 18 May 2001.

How big is Charles de Gaulle?

Charles de Gaulle is France’s only aircraft carrier. de Gaulle is nuclear powered, 856 feet long, and displaces 43,000 tons. The carrier is less than half the size of the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz and Ford -class carriers but can still carry up to 30 aircraft. The carrier’s primary striking power is provided by the Rafale-M multi-role fighter jet.