- The US carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower and French carrier Charles de Gaulle conducted cross-deck inter-operability exercises in the Mediterranean Sea this week.
- The exercise allowed pilots from both navies to land and launch on the two flight decks while the leaders of each strike group met aboard both carriers.
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MEDITERRANEAN SEA (NNS) - The Nimitz-class nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R91) participated in cross-deck inter-operability exercises in the Mediterranean Sea on March 3.
The unique opportunity allowed pilots from both navies to land and launch on the two flight decks while the leaders of each strike group met aboard both carriers for a tour and an opportunity to observe their respective pilots operate aboard a foreign naval vessel.
"It was an honor to participate in the first-ever F/A-18E Super Hornet recovery aboard the FS Charles de Gaulle," said Lt. Cmdr. Nick Smith, a naval aviator attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 32."The seamless integration of French and US systems and operators shows not only the compatibility of our practices and procedures, but also the strength of our alliance."
In total, two US naval aviators flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet and four French aviators, flying the French Rafale and an E-2C Hawkeye, conducted carrier operations including touch-and-go's and one trap and recovery on each carrier.
Additionally, each country moved people and parts between the two ships via helicopter throughout the duration of the exercise.