Charles de Gaulle “not what it used to be”
This is not encouraging at all. And everyone wonders why we spend so much money on defense (from the Daily Mail);
The French aircraft carrier which is set to play a key role in defending Britain over the next decade has broken down.
As President Nicolas Sarkozy prepares to use a London summit this week to announce that RAF jets will fly from the carrier Charles de Gaulle, his naval chiefs have told him that she is no longer seaworthy.
‘She is meant to be heading to Afghanistan but is instead in her home port with a faulty propulsion system,’ said a French Navy source.
Yeah, this is after three years of being refitted. The French and British have decided that they can get along with one carrier each and Britain’s isn’t built yet so they have to rely on France’s broke dick carrier which doesn’t seem to like being out of the hangar or dry dock or where ever ships go to get repaired.
And so the the two formerly greatest military powers in the world roll over and play dead.
Thanks to old Trooper for the link and reminding me that this is the beginning of another shitty week.
Old Trooper sent this picture of the de Gaulle along side the USS Enterprise;
Category: Military issues
Nah, Jonn, it’s the beginning of a great week!! It’s not like the US offered up a Naval Amphib Assault Ship for duty during the 2012 Olympics and were turned down by the Brits, or something…….oh, wait, we did and they did (I guess they’re going to stick with the de Gaulle plan, yeah, THAT ought to work).
But, hey, we still have Big Sis on the job!! So it’s all good!!
Looks like the French are helping the Brits cut back on their military spending…
Is it me or did they build the damn thing backwards. I believe The Big “E” is actually lapping Charles (get my ass back to port)de Gaulle rather than running along side of it.
I could have sworn the de Gaulle was the French carrier whos propeller fell off, and some of the crew were irradiated in the engine room a few years back.
Kinda of sad that the royal navy is now smaller then that of France. The likes of Nelson and Drake must be spinning in their graves!
I gots a question for the Bluejackets here… I’m a career Army guy, so my ship knowledge isn’t the saltiest… Judging by the sloppy, poorly maintained deck of the de Gaulle, would it be classified as a garbage scow??