[Photo] U.S. F/A-18E Hornet operates from French Aircraft Carrier

The Aviationist ^ | Jan 20 2014 | David Cenciotti

[sukhoi-30mki]

Do you remember the image of the French Rafale combat planes aboard USS Truman in the Arabian Sea?

Well, the Americans returned the visit with an F/A-18E Super Hornet landing on the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle proving an interesting (and maybe useful?) interoperability between allied navies.

Actually, the image above, released by the U.S. DoD does not show the VFA-37 Hornet landing on the French carrier, since no hook can be seen; the photo was probably shot as the aircraft performed a touch and go on the flattop before attempting an actual arrested landing.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Image credit: DoD photo by Chief Petty Officer Bruno Gaudry, French Navy

[rlmorel]

(My squadron with the Brits...BEFORE they began issuing iPhones to help the crew find their way around the HMS Ark Royal!)

[EQAndyBuzz]

Is that an F4 in the background?

[NYer]

To put the image into perspective ... Here is the Charles DeGaulle carrier.

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[Blood of Tyrants]

They look to be French Dasssault Mirages.

[Fred Hayek]

Looks more like a Super Etendard.

[Fred Hayek]

There was a time back when the French were considering the F/A-18. There were some trials on the old Clemenceau, but the payload was severely limited

[Red_Devil 232]

Not an F4.

[beelzepug]

Not an F-4 but the nose does have a McDonnell look to it.

[Psalm 73]

Hey, nice post, and great pic of the old Ark Royal.
What carrier were you on at the time?

[yarddog]

I thought the same thing. The front half looks like an F-4 but the tail is the give away that it isn’t.

[moose07]

Super entendard to the left
Rafael to the right.

[Rockpile]

I hope that the USN, the Brits, French, Spaniards all standardize on the same refueling probes so that they are compatible.

[SampleMan]

The one on the left is a Super Etendard. The one on the right is a Rafael.

[Blood of Tyrants]

The Charles de Gaulle is a lesson in how NOT to build an aircraft carrier.

[sukhoi-30mki]

I’d assume they are all the same. The only major difference would be that the Rafale’s probe is fixed.

[sukhoi-30mki]

I’d assume they are all the same. The only major difference would be that the Rafale’s probe is fixed.