The Aéronavale’s 11 Flottille
(11F) was recently deployed to the Mediterranean on board aircraft carrier R91,
Charles de Gaulle, for a work-up exercise aimed at preparing the squadron for
forthcoming deployment. One of the squadron’s Dassault Rafale pilots spoke
to Steve Comber during a recent embark of France’s potent aircraft carrier,
relating his experiences of flying and training on both the Dassault Super
Etendard and the Rafale.
Sunday, 23 November 2014. At
short notice I find myself standing on the quayside in Toulon Naval Base,
southern France, on a sunny but cold day, waiting for transfer by boat to the
flagship of the French Navy, R91 Charles de Gaulle.
This would be my third embark
on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in four years. The three day/two
night embark offered a rare opportunity to witness a standard work-up exercise,
prior to a possible politically-led deployment of the flagship and its
protecting fleet at any time should the need arise. One key aspect of this
exercise was to test the power projection of the carrier wing with only one
aircraft type, the Dassault Rafale, as, following the mid-life overhaul of
Charles de Gaulle in 2017, the Super Etendard will be withdrawn from service.
The embarkation in
late-November deterred many invitees, not least due to a predicted gloomy
weather forecast for this work-up period, resulting in only three other photo
journalists on-board. However, the in-depth presentation of R91’s capability
and current global role became quickly evident. Only one squadron of
Rafales, hailing from 11F, was deployed to the ship together with Dauphin and
the 50-year old trustworthy and very capable Alouette III helicopters for
rescue and supply support.
The article makes for very interesting reading, I'd recommend following the link.
http://www.globalaviationresource.com/v2/2015/02/05/military-exercises-11-flottilles-rafales-work-up-on-r91-charles-de-gaulle/
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