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| Author:
G. J. A. van Boven / Sentry Aviation News Photography: Author |
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Leaving the port of Toulon, Southern France, on the morning of Monday, December 4th 2006, the French Navy aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91), the first and probably last French aircraft carrier with nuclear propulsion, was heading out into the Mediterranean Sea for a short exercise that would involve ten 11 Flottille Super Etendard Modernisé (SEM), one 4 Flottille E-2C Hawkeye and two 35 Flottille search and rescue helicopters (an older Alouette III and a much newer Dauphin) plus a single Lynx of 31 Flottille and a 32 Flottille SA-321G Super Frelon, all of which soon arrived onboard – with the exception of the Lynx, Alouette III and Dauphin, the Super Etendards and Hawkeye and are from bases in the north of France. It is at Toulon where, following a 700 mile drive, I and an American video-photographer boarded the pride of the French surface fleet late in the evening of December 3rd and was shown to the 4-person cabin, our home for the next four days. The ship actually left port shortly after breakfast the next morning and personnel began preparations for the arrival of the aircraft. The first aircraft appeared roughly an hour after leaving port and circled above the ship before landing. The Super Etendards and the E-2C had arrived. |
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For four days, the Charles de Gaulle would sail along the south coast of France, keeping the coastline in sight whilst the first missions were planned to start before sunrise and continue until after sunset, up to about 8pm.The main purpose of this cruise was to conduct the first carrier landings and catapult take-off flown by the enhanced Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye. The French Navy operates three E-2C Hawkeye aircraft and aircraft number ‘3’ has been fitted with the new NP2000 8-bladed propellers, introduced to the USN Hawkeye fleet in 2004, and this aircraft was flown during these exercises by test pilots from Northrop Grumman. The operation of E-2Cs from the Charles de Gaulle was only possible following a 4m extension to the deck – after catching one of the arrestor wires, an E-2C will come to complete stop in the middle of this 4m extension. It wasn’t just E-2C operations that revealed problems with the new carrier either - whilst on test in the Atlantic Ocean, one of the de Gaulle’s propellers broke off and, for a while, the spare propellers of the predecessor aircraft-carriers Foch (R99) and Clemenceau (R98) were used. |
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The ten Dassault Super Etendard Modernisé (SEM) aircraft of 11 Flottille based at Landivisiau were beginning their preparations for their upcoming cruise aboard the Charles de Gaulle which would take place in the Middle East region in support of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. All ten Super Etendards were “Standard 5” specification, a standard to which all Etendards will be updated to prior to their retirement in 2014. This update will incorporate improvements in weapon handling using the new Thomson-CSF Damocles targeting pod and improvements in aircraft controls for the autopilot. Between 2009 and 2014 all Super Etendards will be replaced by the new Rafale M, 11 Flottille will start with the conversion while 17 Flottille will be the last Etendard squadron in the French Navy. The Super Etendards are equipped with a SNECMA Atar 8K50 non-afterburning turbojets enabling them to reach transonic speeds. |
The aircraft does not have a steerable nose-wheel so turning the aircraft on deck is performed by applying the brakes; the major disadvantage of this lack of control is clearly seen when the arresting hook does not release the arrestor cable. The solution is for the deck-crew to push the aircraft one meter backwards, in order to release the cable manually. The older Super Etendards are used in the ground-attack and photo-reconnaissance roles whilst the French Navy's new Dassault Rafale Ms will provide air-cover for the Super Etendards during operations, although three F2-standard 12 Flottille. Rafales have since left France to join the underway carrier and will have targets lased for them by the PDL-CT equipped Super Etendards. The Rafale M’s did not take part in this short cruise. |
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Before flight operations commenced, one of the two SAR helicopters (callsign 'Pedro') departed and positioned itself off the port side of the aircraft carrier as “plane guard” – ready to respond very rapidly to any problems or emergencies with the aircraft departing and landing on the carrier. During the one-week cruise the Super Etendards prepared for their Middle East cruise with all pilots of 11 Flottille practicing catapult take-off and cable recovery and many short missions were flown. After the launch, a few circuits were flown and the aircraft landed again and often the aircraft were back on deck within thirty minutes after launch. There were three “rookie” pilots in 11 Flottille who were undertaking their carrier qualifications. If they were successful after the week, they would be assigned to 11 Flottille. As I had to leave before the week was over, I do not know if they succeeded. 11 Flottille also has two exchange pilots; one pilot is a former US Navy F-14 Tomcat pilot and the other a French Air Force pilot who usually flies the Mirage F.1. |
Whilst the de Gaulle is fitted with US Navy C13F steam catapults to accelerate the aircraft to 260km/h for launch, only the Rafales and E-2Cs use the nose-wheel mounted tow-bar method; the Super Etendards use the “old fashioned” cable-bridle method. Whilst the “meatball” landing light system and the three arresting wires are also like those on American carriers, one major difference is the location of the cables and the catapults on the flight-deck. A landing aircraft will obstruct both catapult areas making it impossible to launch and recover simultaneously; after each launch all catapults need to be covered completely to assure safe landings. The ship also has an advanced stability system, just like a commercial cruise ship, so that during a turn, the flight deck will remain nearly horizontal. |
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On the flight deck it was easy to find the way around, but below deck it was quite difficult. All decks look the same and after climbing or descending several ladders, the navigation became very difficult. Only on the third day did it become easy to navigate by ourselves below deck. The first visits to the flight deck were under close control and supervision of the deck personnel and photography positions could only be changed after confirmation with one of our deck crew guides. Later we could walk to another position after pointing to where we wanted to go. The allowed positions on the deck were near the LSO (Landing Signal Officer) platform near the rear of the ship and near the ‘Island’ or ‘Hotel’ of the ship behind a line of tow trucks. We were obliged to wear a blue shirt and a cranial (a helmet with ski-glasses). It was not permitted to remove the ski-glasses to take photographs because of safety requirements. Without supervision, we were able to walk to the platform near the meteo-office. It was also a very relaxed atmosphere onboard, everybody being very gentle and very relaxed whereas on American aircraft carriers, the atmosphere is more ‘controlled’. But the greatest difference between French and American aircraft carriers is the fact that it was possible to drink some alcohol (beer and wine) onboard. |
On the last day of the embarkation, we were flown by helicopter (the Super Frelon) to Hyeres, near Toulon, and home to the numerous Lynx HAS.2/4(FN)s, SA.365 Dauphins, AS.565 Panthers and Alouette IIIs of 31F, 35F and 36F. Everybody had to wear an orange immersion wetsuit as a precaution in case of an over water emergency. After landing, I drove the 700 miles back to The Netherlands, arriving at home at 03:00 on Friday morning. |
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Following this short qualification-cruise in December 2006, the Charles de Gaulle will prepare for a 3-month cruise to the Middle East. After mid-2007, the ship will then go into dock for an 18 - 24 month maintenance period. With their only aircraft-carrier undergoing maintenance, the aircrew will still need to maintain their training so, to do this, a “foreign solution” is needed. Previously, the French Navy had two aircraft-carriers, the Foch and the Clemenceau, which allowed a strategy of ‘at least one carrier at sea’ to be adhered to. Pilot qualifications are expected to be performed on other aircraft-carriers; American aircraft carriers for the Rafale’s and E-2Cs plus the Brazilian aircraft-carrier (NAe São Paulo, which used to be the Foch) for the Super Etendards. Given a continuing involvement in the Anglo-French CVF project, the French Navy will gain a second aircraft carrier around 2015 which will enable the French to keep one carrier at sea whilst the other undergoes repair and maintenance. |
| The author extends a special thank you to SIRPA.MARINE, the crew of the Charles de Gaulle and onboard host Pascal Subtil for their assistance. |