The French nuclear carrier Charles de Gaulle and its task force enter Arabian Sea

Debka ^ | 3/22/07

[bnelson44]

DEBKAfile Exclusive: The French nuclear carrier Charles de Gaulle and its task force enter Arabian Sea. Iran launches a new naval war game

They rendezvoused with the USS John C. Stennis Wed. March 21, for missions in support of Operation Enduring, Freedom and International Security Assistance Forces ISAF for the global war on terror. US and French carriers are sailing and operating in concert opposite Iranian shores for the first time. The Iranian Navy responded to the new arrival the following day by announcing a new series of military exercise in the Persian Gulf.

DEBKAfile’s military sources disclose that the American-French rendezvous was timed to coincide with the UN Security Council session Wednesday to debate expanded sanctions against Iran for continuing its banned uranium enrichment program.

The Iranians were bowled over by the appearance of the Charles de Gaulle opposite their southern coast, having assumed that Paris took issue with Washington’s tough stand on their nuclear activities and was seeking improved relations with Tehran.

[bnelson44]

Anything happening we should know about?

[cmsgop]

Did it lose it's Props Yet ????

[Leatherneck_MT]

Interesting ping

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Europe pinglist

If you want on or off the list, go to the link for instructions. Otherwise, it won't be guaranteed that you will be put on or taken off (it still won't be 100% guaranteed, anyway, but will be much more highly probable).

[dljordan]

Somewhere pigs are flying.

[traditional1]

It flies the white flag, and travels only in reverse???

[PajamaTruthMafia]

This form Hot Air will put it in some broader context:

http://hotair.com/archives/2007/03/22/big-news-us-arrests-leader-of-breakaway-mahdi-army-faction-for-karbala-raid/

[Cicero]

Just don't let them get behind any of our ships.

[BenLurkin]

What in the world for?

To defend Iran?

[Live free or die]

DEBKA saying theyve spotted the Charels de Gaul anywhere is like the Weekly World News' latest sighting of Batboy!

[AmericaUnited]

The Iranian Navy responded to the new arrival the following day by announcing a new series of military exercise in the Persian Gulf.

Code Named: Bottom Feeders

[starbase]

The French nuclear carrier Charles de Gaulle...enter Arabian Sea

I didn't think that thing was seaworthy. Last I heard the whole ship vibrated violently when all the washing machines were run in unison.

[pipecorp]

Its french, not Greek! ;^)

[operation clinton cleanup]

The Iranians were bowled over by the appearance of the Charles de Gaulle opposite their southern coast,

Are they surrendering yet? (The bowled over Iranians that is).

[bnelson44]

All this might have to do with Afghanistan:


USS JOHN C. STENNIS, At Sea (NNS) -- Senior leaders from the French Navy Ship (FNS) Charles de Gaulle (R 91) arrived aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) March 16 to establish a foundation for further professional interaction and combined operations between the two navies. v Commander Task Force 473 French Rear Adm. Xavier Magne and 15 other French officers from Charles de Gaulle met with their John C. Stennis counterparts for lunch, a tour of the ship, and an opportunity to discuss integration and interoperability between the two carrier groups.

“We are proud that we will have the opportunity to serve side by side with the French navy,” said Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CCSG) 3 Rear Adm. Kevin Quinn.

Charles de Gaulle, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier built outside the United States, arrived in the North Arabian Sea March 14 with its carrier task force and is conducting missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF).

"This is an important day, because it represents our cooperative operations in support of coalition efforts in Afghanistan," said Quinn.

French Task Force 473 consists of Charles de Gaulle, flagship of the French navy, FNS Cassard (D 614), FNS Tourville (D 610), FNS Dupleix (D 641) and FNS Marne (A 630).



http://www.emilitary.org/article.php?aid=10227

[sam_paine]

Somewhere pigs are flying.

LOL. The day pigs actually fly, DEBKA will miss the whole thing and 'break' a story that an observer in Fujian province reports that all pigs have disappeared from the ground, and have contracted some type of invisibility causing strain of avian flu.

Later, to cover their mistake, they will explain that the invisibility flu mutated them into flying pigs.

[RJL]

No better way for France to gather and sell intelligence for their Iranian friends than to pretend to be a friend and partner of the US.

Hopefully Bush and the military understand this and only share misinformation with the French.

[Lexington Green]

I hear Iranian laughter.

[xJones]

Just don't let them get behind any of our ships.

Yes, we might have to tow it!

[Libloather]

Target practice?

[NonValueAdded]

Actually, wouldn't it be frogs in this case?

[shrinkermd]

We are working on a coup in Iran. All those military officers including two generals are probably key players.

France would be included for political support. If this comes down and is successful expect a scurrying of RATS both in the Mideast and in Congress.

[GSlob]

"Anything happening we should know about?"
yes. they did not "enter" the Arabian sea, but were towed in.

[George W. Bush]

How long did it take for us to tow it to the Gulf?

[stockpirate]

Actually they have helped alot with the WOT.

[gotribe]

From globalsecurity.org

Nonetheless, the Charles de Gaulle has suffered from a variety of problems [see James Dunnigan's "How NOT to Build an Aircraft Carrier"]. The Charles de Gaulle took eleven years to build, with construction beginning in 1988 and entering service in late 2000. For comparison, construction of the American CVN 77 began in 2001 with a projected delivery in 2008. The 40,000 ton ship is slower than the conventionally powered Foch, which she replaced. The propellers on the CDG did not work properly, so she recycled those of the Foch. The nuclear reactor was problematic, with the engine crew receiving five times the allowable annual radiation dose. The flight deck layout has precluded operating the E-2 radar aircraft.

[bondjamesbond]

I deference to the fact that France is doing the right thing and sailing into harm's way, I am going to declare a self-imposed moratorium on fro French-bashing.

Vive La France!

[EricT.]

Must be testing their new surface to air white flag deployment device.

[Desron13]

I just took a look at this "aircraft carrier". It's nothing more than what we would consider and amphibious assault ship. Probably minus any actual significant amphibious landing or assault capabilities.

[bnelson44]

[bnelson44]

We have the only blue water navy in the world (until China catches up)

[snoringbear]

"Did it lose it's Props Yet ????"

emsgop, I both enjoy and agree with your inference. However, I don't think "it's" props are relevant when being towed by ocean going tug boats. heh, heh....

The french are so irritating, but on the other hand, it's a lot of fun ridiculing them for sure....

[Desron13]

Just checked the stats. The USS John C. Stennis is 100,000 tons with full load. The Charles de Gaulle is a little under 41,000 tons with full load.

[Bean Counter]

BFD

How many night traps do they have??

[SkyDancer]

Using sails????

[blam]

"The French nuclear carrier Charles de Gaulle and its task force enter Arabian Sea.

The Saudis don't want it to be called the Persian Gulf.

[magslinger]

SONOBUOY PING!

Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
This is a low volume pinglist.

[blam]

Wasn't there an article on FR a day or so ago about the French urging the Israeli's to bomb the Syrians? Maybe the French have decided to do it themselves (ahem).

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

bump.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Don't the British also have a blue water navy--not as large as the United States', but still a blue water navy?

[JB in Whitefish]

"The French nuclear carrier Charles de Gaulle and its task force enter Arabian Sea."

I understand it has the world's largest rearview mirrors...!!!

[keats5]

Whose side are they on?

[starbase]

Ah, Here is that old article, from 2000, about the Charles de Gaul, right here on FR.

In addition to the fact the propeller fell off by itself, and the clunker took more than 14 years to build, it also had these lovely problems:

Listed by the dailies Le Monde and France-Soir as other faults were:

-- the need to extend the flight deck because it was too short for a US-built surveillance aircraft;

-- the need to modify the nuclear generators to satisfy safety regulations; and,

-- discovery that the thick, armored glass on the bridge was nearly opaque; and,

-- then even the ship's laundry washing machines caused problems. As originally bolted together - when used simultaneously - the vibrations were so powerful that the entire 40,000-ton ship shivered.

[Spirochete]

France would be included for political support.

Laugh of the day - thanks!

[TweetEBird007]

Apparently you are only one on this thread to catch that.

[arthurus]

There is an American boomer attached to the keel that is actually propelling the French carrier. They wanted to show off their carrier and we wanted to show that the French are with us on this one, ergo the submarine.

[Candor7]

Just when ythe Iranians have their teeth on edge and start the hard ball negotiating process, along come the Froggies in to do the usual spoiling act.

The French will pretend to support the Western Allies, get what intelligence info. they can and trade it to Iran for oil concessions.The French ALWAYS show up when a deal is about to go down.

What a bunch of liberal/socialist wankers the French are, wacking Jews at home and patronizing the Islamofascists.

I would love to see all of that French floating hardware deep sixed. I remember those "black market," latest generation French surface to air missles lined up at Bagdad international , frozen in the process of deployment, to be used if the froggies failed to truck their oil for food WMD components North into Syria, while the US Marines charged for Baghdad.Those French missles were intended to delay US forces in order to give our froggies a little more haulage time if needed. Thank God they were not used. We were lucky, or we allowed the French to get away with their haulage scheme.

Payback time is at hand , oooops, gone, one French task force, wiped off the map by a fleet "Iranian" bombers.

[bnelson44]

They don't really have aircraft carriers. The ship is more like our LSD. Here is a British carrier next to the Stennis

They are also planning on reducing the size of the Royal Navy

[arthurus]

That is taken care of. See #46.

[semaj]

I guess they finally replaced the opaque ballistic glass on the conning tower.