Back home for the Charles de Gaulle
(BRUSSELS2) The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, engaged since March 22 in the operation off Libya, is returning to its home port, Toulon. He will be there before August 15. A necessity for "technical upgrading and reconditioning of the crew". The device will remain at the "same operational level" we assure the French Armed Forces, thanks to the deployment of an air detachment on the base of Sigonella (Sicily) comprising 5 Rafale planes of the army of the 'Air. On site at sea, France has a BPC (projection and command building), two frigates, a supply tanker and a nuclear attack submarine. In the air, it has a detachment of Mirage 2000D and Mirage 2000N (Air Force) and Atlantic 2 (Navy) surveillance aircraft in Sude (Greece). While the E3F detection and control planes leave from Avord (France - Center) and the C135 refueling planes from Istres (France - Provence).
Nevertheless: after the departure of the Italian aircraft carrier Garibaldi, another symbol of power fades away. As if the allies now wanted to be more discreet at the military level, in order to be more effective at the political level?
Willingness to be discreet or real lack of capacity?
In addition, the fact that the Italian ship also returned at the same time clearly shows the inability of the Europeans to collaborate. Wouldn't it have been possible to coordinate between the French and the Italians to ensure that at least one of the two ships was kept in place? Is it not possible for French aircraft to land on an Italian ship and vice versa?
Especially since this kind of cooperation is an excellent way to maintain a higher availability of equipment while allowing each country not to multiply identical equipment and therefore to improve operational capacities without multiplying costs in an exaggerated way.
For me it shows above all the lack of ambition of the European states in their desire for military cooperation.
no, the Italian PA only allows vertical landing, moreover the Italian harriers would not have lasted long and in addition with a reduced number of planes.
Harriers are borderline obsolete.