According to the French Navy, the aircraft carrier has sailed after a major maintenance period. Work focused on the modernization of its combat system, but also after improving the living conditions of the crew.
Now it’s time for the ship to get back up to speed. For this new crew, which has been in place for three weeks now, it is a matter of continuing to learn about this complex ship; to get to know it in its smallest details for those who have just arrived and to share their knowledge for the older ones.
French Navy
The sea trials which took place in late September allowed the crew to operate the aircraft carrier “in real conditions”, to test and refine the settings of the platform, the installations and the combat system, while re-training on the fundamentals. After only a few hours out at sea, several Rafale M trapped on the carrier.
The ramp-up of the aircraft carrier and its crew will continue in the coming weeks with the School of Embarked Aviation, with the aim of qualifying new French Navy pilots for day and night landings.
The advanced exercise “POLARIS” will follow: It will place the aircraft carrier and French carrier strike group in a high-intensity combat preparation scenario. The large scale exercise will involve the French Army and French Air Force, as well as nearly 50% of the first rank (front line) surface combatants of the French Navy.
