@SvenSvensonov @Nihonjin1051 @KAL-EL @Peter C @C130 @AMDR
In what seems to be becoming a tradition between the two allied navies, a French Navy (Marine Nationale) Rafale M fighter crossed deck with US Navy nuclear-powever aircraft carrier (CVN) USS Carl Vinson. The US aircraft carrier and the French Navy CVN Charles de Gaulle are currently deployed in the Persian Gulf to conduct strike operations in Iraq.
The goal of this "cross deck" was to qualify the Dassault Aviation Rafale M fighter with USS Carl Vinson. The French navy CSG started air operations above Iraq last week.
The Rafale M is fully compatible with US Navy aircraft carriers and some French Navy pilots have already qualified to fly the aircraft from US Navy flight decks. This marks the fourth time French navy Rafale M operates with a US Navy CVN:
- On 4 June 2010, during an exercise on USS Harry S. Truman, a French Rafale became the first jet fighter of a foreign navy to have its engine replaced on board an American aircraft carrier.
- In 2008 six Rafales from Flottille 12F integrated into the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Air Wing interoperability exercise.
- In july 2007 two Rafale M conducted touch and go, traps, and catapult launch maneuvers with USS Enterprise off the French Riviera.
French Navy Rafale M Fighter Conducts Qualifications with USS Carl Vinson in the Gulf
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*Off topic,but this pic is awesome.*
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