The French Navy’s Charles de Gaulle: A Powerful Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier

Summary of article by Maya Carlin

The Charles de Gaulle (CDG) stands as the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside of the United States Navy. While it is smaller than the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz and Ford classes, the CDG is a formidable warship, equipped with a steam catapult system and an impressive air wing that includes Dassault Rafael M strike fighters, E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft, and helicopters.

Summary and Key Points:

• The Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is the sole nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside the U.S. Navy.
• Despite being smaller than U.S. carriers, the CDG is a powerful warship with advanced systems and aircraft.
• Initial design and funding challenges led to significant refits and upgrades over the years, enhancing its capabilities.
• The CDG has participated in various operations, including Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria, solidifying its role as the flagship of the French Navy.

The role of aircraft carriers became pivotal during the Second World War, establishing them as the premier warships of the seas. While the U.S. Navy leads with 11 nuclear-powered supercarriers, the French Navy maintains the only other nuclear-powered carrier in the world, the Charles de Gaulle (CDG).

Although not as large as the Nimitz or Ford classes, the CDG remains a formidable warship. Its steam catapult system, slightly smaller than those on U.S. carriers, can launch F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets and C-2 Greyhounds. The CDG’s air wing includes Dassault Rafael M strike fighters, E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft, and several helicopters. The carrier has been deployed in numerous combat operations, including Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria.

The Charles de Gaulle’s development began in the 1980s. After completing two carriers, the Clemenceau and Foch, in the 1960s, France sought their replacements. The design for the CDG featured a nuclear-powered propulsion system, an angled deck, and steam catapults, a configuration that allowed for the simultaneous launching and recovery of larger, heavier aircraft, enhancing the safety of carrier air operations.

Since its completion, the CDG has undergone two significant refits and upgrades, in 2007 and 2017. These included refuelling the nuclear reactor and upgrading support and communication systems for the air wing. The 2007 overhaul also replaced the ship’s propellers, as the original ones had been damaged, necessitating the use of spares from the older Clemenceau.