French aircraft carrier soon ready to strike ISIS
AFP - [email protected] •
22 Nov, 2015
Updated Sun 22 Nov 2015 10:45 CEST
French jets will be able to launch air strikes on Islamic State targets from an aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean from Monday, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has said.
"It will be operational from tomorrow," Le Drian told Europe 1 radio on Sunday, nine days after attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.
France's Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier left the port of Toulon on Thursday to bring its fleet of 20 strike aircraft within range of ISIS strongholds in Syria and Iraq.
The 261.5m nuclear-powered vessel, commissioned in 2001, is the largest warship in deployment by any Western European country.
Its 20 aircraft include Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard, Dassault Rafale M and E‑2C Hawkeye aircraft, as well as EC725 Caracal and AS532 Cougar helicopters.
Aircraft from the ship were involved in Operation Enduring Freedom against Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in 2001, helped enforce the UN no-fly zone over Libya in 2011, and carried out strikes against ISIS targets in February.
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"It will be operational from tomorrow," Le Drian told Europe 1 radio on Sunday, nine days after attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.
France's Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier left the port of Toulon on Thursday to bring its fleet of 20 strike aircraft within range of ISIS strongholds in Syria and Iraq.
The 261.5m nuclear-powered vessel, commissioned in 2001, is the largest warship in deployment by any Western European country.
Its 20 aircraft include Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard, Dassault Rafale M and E‑2C Hawkeye aircraft, as well as EC725 Caracal and AS532 Cougar helicopters.
Aircraft from the ship were involved in Operation Enduring Freedom against Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in 2001, helped enforce the UN no-fly zone over Libya in 2011, and carried out strikes against ISIS targets in February.
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