French nuclear carrier enters Arabian Sea

[waste gate]

Was the white flag raised?


http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=3961

[ASWnut101]

Strange. I don't see the greenpeace ships trailing it.

[SUBMAN1]

Wow! I am shocked a bit by this French response. I figured they would forever cower in the face of Islam forever more. Paint me wrong I guess since this is a major step against everything I ever expected from them.

-S

[RedMenace]

Wow! I am shocked a bit by this French response. I figured they would forever cower in the face of Islam forever more.

-S
Cower in the face of Islam? What the hell? Islam is a religion, comrade, not a nation. You can't cower in the face of a religion. Do I have to explain this to you every time?

[Torpedo Fodder]

Strange. I don't see the greenpeace ships trailing it.

Either they're afraid the French would sink them, or Greenpeace actually tried trailing the de Gaulle and the French have already sunk them. Remember the Rainbow Warrior?:arrgh!:

[Tchocky]

Strange. I don't see the greenpeace ships trailing it.
Either they're afraid the French would sink them, or Greenpeace actually tried trailing the de Gaulle and the French have already sunk them. Remember the Rainbow Warrior?:arrgh!:

The French could be testing mini-nukes on baby seal colonies, I'd still stay away. Don't f*ck with the french after Rainbow Warrior

[The Avon Lady]

What the hell? Islam is a religion, comrade, not a nation. You can't cower in the face of a religion. Do I have to explain this to you every time?
In today's vocabulary lesson, children, we'll talk about the word Ummah (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ummah).

After you learn Islam, RedMenace, then come back to us with your repeated explanations.

[Bort]

The French are extremely hard to understand and pin down. They make decisions and take action in such an erratic fashion, I often wonder if they're just flipping a coin! But they have a pretty good military which includes some of the fiercest warriors around (the Foreign Legion) and although the last century hasn't given them much to cheer about, I don't think they're at all deserving of the "surrender monkey" tag.
I'm glad they've decided to stand with the US and its allies in being resolutely against Iran's acquisition of nukes.:up:
Bienvenue à bord!:|\\

[RedMenace]

What the hell? Islam is a religion, comrade, not a nation. You can't cower in the face of a religion. Do I have to explain this to you every time? In today's vocabulary lesson, children, we'll talk about the word Ummah (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ummah).

After you learn Islam, RedMenace, then come back to us with your repeated explanations.


What's your point?

[The Avon Lady]

What the hell? Islam is a religion, comrade, not a nation. You can't cower in the face of a religion. Do I have to explain this to you every time? In today's vocabulary lesson, children, we'll talk about the word Ummah (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ummah).
After you learn Islam, RedMenace, then come back to us with your repeated explanations.
What's your point?
What don't you understand?

Islam, the religion, views itself as a global nation, no country excepted. Just because you live in Dar al Harb doesn't mean it's yours forever, you kufr!

[SUBMAN1]

Cower in the face of Islam? What the hell? Islam is a religion, comrade, not a nation. You can't cower in the face of a religion. Do I have to explain this to you every time?

You are funny! Learn something about religion and then get back to me.

[XabbaRus]

Is this the De Gaulle whose props were screwed and had to go into a major refit to fix a bunch of problems which I don't know if they have solved.

Also they have the Rafale on board but not really capable for anything except AD.

So I wouldn't count on them for support against the Iranians.

[SUBMAN1]

Is this the De Gaulle whose props were screwed and had to go into a major refit to fix a bunch of problems which I don't know if they have solved.

Also they have the Rafale on board but not really capable for anything except AD.

So I wouldn't count on them for support against the Iranians.

They should have bought EF-2000's. EF-2000's is a much better plane then Rafale.

-S

[Oberon]

Less French though, which is probably the reason they haven't. :-?

[Torpedo Fodder]

So I wouldn't count on them for support against the Iranians.
They should have bought EF-2000's. EF-2000's is a much better plane then Rafale.

Not suitable for carrier ops, and the other countires wern't interested in incorporating that capability into the design. That's one major reason the French decided to go it alone instead of joining the EFA program. Navalizing the Typhoon at this point is not really practical, as these days if you want an aircraft to operate on a carrier, it pretty much has to be designed to do so from the start. Convertaing an airframe originally designed only for land ops into a carrier plane presents a very expensive and posibly impractical engineering prospect.

And at this point, the Typhoon isn't good for much else than air defence either, and it won't have anything more than the most basic ground attack capabilities until the Tranche 3 version is ready around 2010.

[ASWnut101]

Strange. I don't see the greenpeace ships trailing it.

Either they're afraid the French would sink them, or Greenpeace actually tried trailing the de Gaulle and the French have already sunk them. Remember the Rainbow Warrior?:arrgh!:



:rotfl: Oh my god, I laughed my a$$ off when I saw a greenpeace documentary about it. I think les francais had a hard fight with them. GP aren't arfaid to die, aparently. Remember Faslane?:|\\

[Rilder]

My first thought when reading the title was:

"And left shortly thereafter"

or

"and the Al Aueida gained an Aircraft Carrier" :hmm:

[XabbaRus]

So I wouldn't count on them for support against the Iranians.
They should have bought EF-2000's. EF-2000's is a much better plane then Rafale.
Not suitable for carrier ops, and the other countires wern't interested in incorporating that capability into the design. That's one major reason the French decided to go it alone instead of joining the EFA program. Navalizing the Typhoon at this point is not really practical, as these days if you want an aircraft to operate on a carrier, it pretty much has to be designed to do so from the start. Convertaing an airframe originally designed only for land ops into a carrier plane presents a very expensive and posibly impractical engineering prospect.

And at this point, the Typhoon isn't good for much else than air defence either, and it won't have anything more than the most basic ground attack capabilities until the Tranche 3 version is ready around 2010.

Current Block 5 standard which is latest Tranche 1 can carry GBU's and a rapid clearence programme for the Litening Pod is under way allowing self designation something Rafale can't do now. When you say most basic what do you mean? IIRC Tranche 2 will be able to use Brimstone and Storm Shaddow so I don't know what else will be added. Being able to drop GBUs self designated is more than enough. Besides if Typhoon ends up in Iraq soon there are always ways to get these things working. I'd take the Typhoon over the Rafale anyday. You should see the claims made on the strategypage website forum by French fanboys...bloody funny.

[Torpedo Fodder]

I was under the impression that the Tranche 2 aircraft were only capable of carrying basic air-to-ground ordinance such as rockets and gravity bombs, and the the more sophisticated stuff like the Storm Shadow would only be implemented in Tranche 3?

[RedMenace]

Cower in the face of Islam? What the hell? Islam is a religion, comrade, not a nation. You can't cower in the face of a religion. Do I have to explain this to you every time?
You are funny! Learn something about religion and then get back to me.

Nice, make a post that lacks any point what-so-ever except vaguely try to insult me and my knowledge. You are a savant of the English language.

[Wxman]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/USS_Enterprise_FS_Charles_de_Gaulle.jpg
The USS Enterprise and FNS Charles De Gaulle


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Fleet_5_nations.jpg

A rare occurrence of a 5-country multinational fleet, during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Oman Sea. In four descending columns, from left to right: ITS Maestrale (F 570), De Grasse (D 612); USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), Charles De Gaulle (R 91), Surcouf (F 711); USS Port Royal (CG-73), HMS Ocean (L 12), USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), HNLMS Van Amstel (F 831); and ITS Luigi Durand de la Penne (D 560).
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Coalition Leadership Meets Aboard John C. Stennis (http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=28448)

Story Number: NNS070321-05
Release Date: 3/21/2007 2:34:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark Logico, USS John C. Stennis Public Affairs

USS JOHN C. STENNIS, At Sea (NNS) -- Senior leaders from the French Navy Ship (FNS) Charles de Gaulle (R 91) arrived aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) March 16 to establish a foundation for further professional interaction and combined operations between the two navies.

Commander Task Force 473 French Rear Adm. Xavier Magne and 15 other French officers from Charles de Gaulle met with their John C. Stennis counterparts for lunch, a tour of the ship, and an opportunity to discuss integration and interoperability between the two carrier groups.

"We are proud that we will have the opportunity to serve side by side with the French navy," said Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CCSG) 3 Rear Adm. Kevin Quinn.

Charles de Gaulle, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier built outside the United States, arrived in the North Arabian Sea March 14 with its carrier task force and is conducting missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF).

"This is an important day, because it represents our cooperative operations in support of coalition efforts in Afghanistan," said Quinn.

French Task Force 473 consists of Charles de Gaulle, flagship of the French navy, FNS Cassard (D 614), FNS Tourville (D 610), FNS Dupleix (D 641) and FNS Marne (A 630).

CCSG 3 consists of USS John C. Stennis, Carrier Air Wing 9, USS Antietam (CG 54), Commander, Destroyer Squadron 21, USS O’Kane (DDG 77), USS Preble (DDG 88) and USNS Bridge (T-AOE 10).

"I think it is very fitting that our two navies that have worked so well together for hundreds of years are coming together again to bring stability and security to this region of the world," said Quinn. "My hope is that with our efforts, the people of Afghanistan will also be able to enjoy a life of 'liberté, égalité, fraternité.'"

John C. Stennis and Charles de Gaulle will be operating together in the North Arabian Sea, conducting bilateral exercises and supporting the ground forces operating in Afghanistan.

For related news, visit the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet Navy NewsStand page at http://www.news.navy.mil/local/cusnc/ (http://www.news.navy.mil/local/cusnc/).

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There is a great deal of confusion here between French foreign policy (which is often at odds with the US) and the French military. The french fought as well as anyone in WWI, were over-run like every other fairly-flat country germany entered in WWII (I include the USSR in this though the eventual outcome of barbarossa was bungled by hitler/german high command), and really don't deserve the reputation they have here.

As much as I despise the cowardly French.

As much as I suspect their motives in ANYTHING.

Sailing their flagship and national military crown jewel noneless, into a gulf crowded with US surface targets, without any submarine support whatsoever, well, they either have big honkin' granite stones or something's afoot.

Ever fool around in the Persian gulf in Sub Command? Those FNS D & A clss destroyers must be really really really good, especially with passive sonar. Do you think for a second that the French are going to rely on U.S. assurances for the safety of a national treasure? This is their flag-ship for crying out loud. The Frogs must be absolutely certain about the safety of their prize jewel CV. Either their D class boats are out of this world, the U.S. promised to build 'em a new CV if they lose theirs, or the Iranian Kilos aren't all that much of an issue.

The French lost millions Large of dollars in the defeat of Sadaam Hussein. Without any doubt they intend on recouping their loses. I know a Bosnian who told me that the French would leak to the Serbs the flight schedules of UN Allied aircraft so thet Serb troop movements and other intel could not be observed.

Rumsfeld was right: Going to war with the French is like going deer hunting with an accordian player. It took the French years to get over that one. Isn't a doubt in my mind that If Rumsfeld were still SecDef, the Charles DeGaul would not be sailing with the USS Stenis today in the Gulf.

I wonder how long it will be before we see the hi-jinks the French will get up to in The Gulf. The recent U.S. House vote on withdrawl is only the prelude.

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http://www.navy.mil/management/photodb/webphoto/web_070316-N-8157C-003.jpg

070316-N-8157C-003 ARABIAN SEA (March 16, 2007) – Commander, Task Force (CTF) 473, French Rear Adm. Xavier Magne, left, is greeted by Commander, Carrier Strike Group 3, Rear Adm. Kevin Quinn on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). The flagship of CTF 473, the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle (R 91), arrived in the Arabian Sea to work with coalition forces supporting the global war on terrorism. John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group is on deployment in support of Maritime Security Operations (MSO). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Denny C. Cantrell (RELEASED)
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There are a lot of things I like about France, and I know people who've lived there who speak a bit of French but aren't French.

They all say the same thing about the French: they're always out for themselves. Their vicious but futile attempt to become some kind of virtual superpower at our expense, by diplomatically rallying the world against us at a critical point in history (when they thought the EU, the euro, and Airbust's big 380 flying pig augured a new world order) was kind of hard to miss. :hmm:

You should remember that they're always out for themselves, a word to the wise. This "strange" American understands very well that the reason they are coming to heel now is that we won on all fronts, not because the French suddenly have become trustworthy. :arrgh!:

[geetrue]

I've been busy with other things lately ... thanks for the news and the pictures are awesome Wxman. Thanks :up:

At first I thought the French were coming to intercede for Iran in the Persian Gulf, but the cover story is Afgahistan ... a little unity won't hurt if Iran makes a blunder.

The US Congress might let us go to war, but then they would just say it has to be over by such and such date, uh? :lol:

Nothing between Easter and pre-season football to stop a war, but it better be over by the first regular season game. :yep:

[Yahoshua]

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k84/yahoshua/Smilies/drinkcoffee.gif