Charles de Gaulle (aircraft carrier)

Type

Aircraft Carrier

Period

21st Century

Nation

France

Overview: Charles de Gaulle (R91) is the flagship of the French Navy and the first French-built nuclear-powered surface warship. Commissioned in 2001, she is the tenth French aircraft carrier and remains the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ever completed outside the United States Navy. Specifications: The ship has a full-load displacement of about 42,500 tonnes, an overall length of 261.5 m, a beam of 64.36 m, and a draught of 9.43 m. She is powered by two Areva K15 pressurised water reactors driving Alstom steam turbines for a top speed of 27 knots, and is a CATOBAR-design carrier fitted with two 75 m C13-3 steam catapults (one bow, one waist) adapted from the system used on U.S. Nimitz-class carriers. Armament includes Aster 15 surface-to-air missiles in Sylver launchers, Mistral missiles in Sadral launchers, and Nexter Narwhal 20 mm cannons, with an air wing of 30-40 aircraft including Rafale M fighters, E-2C Hawkeyes, and Caïman Marine helicopters. Service History: Ordered in 1986 and laid down in 1989 at the DCN Brest shipyard, the carrier suffered lengthy delays — including a lengthened flight deck, a broken propeller, and vibration/noise problems — before finally being commissioned in 2001, replacing the retired Clemenceau-class carriers. A major mid-life overhaul completed in December 2008 refuelled her reactors, fitted new propellers, and boosted displacement past 42,500 tonnes. She has since deployed on numerous operational missions, including strikes against ISIS in the Middle East. Notable Facts: As the sole aircraft carrier of the French Navy, her periodic long maintenance availabilities leave France temporarily without a carrier, prompting past studies (PA2) and the current Porte-Avions Nouvelle Génération (PANG) program intended to replace her around 2038. She is also notable as one of only two non-U.S. carriers (alongside China's Fujian) ever built with a catapult launch system.