Sistemas navales

Charles de Gaulle

Also known as
  • FNS Charles de Gaulle
  • FS Charles de Gaulle
  • Charles de Gaulle (R91)

Charles de Gaulle es el portaaviones de propulsión nuclear de Francia, construido por Naval Group y comisionado en 2001. Material del Ministerio francés lo describe con capacidad para hasta 40 aeronaves y unos 1.800 a 2.000 marineros, mientras informes oficiales franceses, de la U.S. Navy y de CENTCOM documentan el ala aérea del buque sobre Afganistán, Libia y operaciones contra ISIS.

Charles de Gaulle, Portaaviones de propulsión nuclear, Sistemas navales
Image source: File:French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.JPEG

Role in Conflicts

Operation Agapanthe Snapshot

Informes de la Marine nationale muestran a Charles de Gaulle operando como base aérea móvil sobre Afganistán durante Operation Agapanthe en 2007, con una combinación variada de misiones en lugar de un perfil de ataque de propósito único.

MedidaDetalle documentadoPor qué importa
Salidas sobre Afganistán370El buque generó actividad aérea de combate sostenida desde el mar.
Horas de vuelo1.300Muestra el ritmo de la aviación embarcada durante el despliegue.
Misiones de ataque154Aeronaves Rafale Marine y Super Etendard se usaron en el papel de ataque.
Misiones de control aerotransportado45Las salidas de Hawkeye ampliaron el mando y la vigilancia desde el grupo del portaaviones.
Misiones de reabastecimiento117El ala aérea también sostuvo a otras aeronaves en el teatro, no solo salidas de ataque.

Hito portaaviones-aeronave: la misma operación registró las primeras misiones operativas de Rafale Marine desde Charles de Gaulle.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Francia
Built by
Naval Group
Built in
France
Type
Portaaviones de propulsión nuclear
Service note
Comisionado en 2001
Produced
Botado en 1994; entró en servicio activo en 2001
Number built
1

Specifications

Eslora
261,5 m
Manga
64,36 m
Desplazamiento a plena carga
42.000 toneladas
Velocidad máxima
27 nudos
Propulsión
Propulsión nuclear con dos reactores
Dotación
1.800-2.000 marineros
Capacidad de aeronaves
Hasta 40 aeronaves
Aviación embarcada
Rafale Marine, E-2C Hawkeye y helicópteros
Embarked Aircraft

The carrier's air wing has included Dassault Rafale fighters in combat operations, showing how Charles de Gaulle functions as a mobile aviation base.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
Dassault Rafale, Twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsDassault RafaleCarrier-borne multirole fighter and strike aircraft

French Navy reporting on Operation Agapanthe records the first operational Rafale Marine missions from Charles de Gaulle over Afghanistan in 2007; CENTCOM later reported Rafale Marine launches from the carrier's 2019 Operation Inherent Resolve deployment off Syria.

Sources: French Navy: Operation Agapanthe 2007, CENTCOM: French Carrier Strike Group joins Operation Inherent Resolve

Close-In Defensive Systems

The carrier's self-defense fit includes remote weapon stations documented in French Navy modernization reporting.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
Narwhal 20 mm remote-controlled turret, 20 mm naval remote weapon station, Naval SystemsNarwhal 20 mm remote-controlled turret20 mm remote weapon station

Naval News listed three Narwhal 20B systems on Charles de Gaulle as part of French Navy Narwhal modernization coverage.

Sources: Naval News: Narwhal RWS modernization on French Navy vessels

Timeline

Charles de Gaulle Key Events

  1. Botado

    El Charles de Gaulle de Naval Group fue botado en 1994 tras su construcción en Francia.

    Sources: Naval Group: Charles de Gaulle nuclear propulsion

  2. Entró en servicio activo

    El portaaviones entró en servicio activo con la Marine nationale en 2001 como el primer portaaviones de propulsión nuclear de Francia.

    Sources: Naval Group: Charles de Gaulle nuclear propulsion

  3. Operation Agapanthe sobre Afganistán

    Informes de la Marine nationale registran 370 salidas y 1.300 horas de vuelo desde Charles de Gaulle sobre Afganistán, incluidas las primeras misiones operativas de Rafale Marine desde el buque.

    Sources: French Navy: Operation Agapanthe 2007

  4. Despliegue del portaaviones en Operation Harmattan

    Informes de la Marine nationale describen a Charles de Gaulle y su grupo aéreo embarcado como el principal elemento naval de Task Force 473 durante Operation Harmattan sobre Libia.

    Sources: French Navy: Harmattan naval component, French Ministry of Armed Forces: Operation Harmattan 2011

  5. Misiones en el golfo Arábigo contra ISIL

    Informes de la U.S. Navy indicaron que Charles de Gaulle realizó sus primeras misiones en el golfo Arábigo contra ISIL como buque insignia de Commander Task Force 50 durante Operation Inherent Resolve.

    Sources: U.S. Navy: Charles de Gaulle first Arabian Gulf missions against ISIL

  6. Grupo de ataque de portaaviones frente a Siria

    CENTCOM informó que el grupo de ataque del portaaviones Charles de Gaulle llegó frente a Siria para Operation Inherent Resolve y lanzó aeronaves Rafale Marine y Hawkeye para apoyar a fuerzas de la coalición y recopilar inteligencia.

    Sources: CENTCOM: French Carrier Strike Group joins Operation Inherent Resolve

Carrier Strike Group Role

Los informes oficiales de la coalición presentan a Charles de Gaulle como plataforma de lanzamiento y nodo de mando. En diciembre de 2015 sirvió como buque insignia de Commander Task Force 50 durante misiones en el golfo Arábigo contra ISIL, y en marzo de 2019 su grupo de ataque llegó frente a Siria para Operation Inherent Resolve. Informes del Ministerio francés identifican Operation Chammal como el componente francés de Inherent Resolve y afirman que el grupo del portaaviones reforzó Chammal ocho veces entre enero de 2015 y diciembre de 2022.

Aviación de ataque

Informes de la U.S. Navy y CENTCOM identifican aeronaves Rafale Marine operando desde el portaaviones durante misiones contra ISIS.

Control aerotransportado

CENTCOM también identificó aeronaves Hawkeye de Charles de Gaulle recopilando inteligencia y apoyando a tropas de la coalición en tierra.

Mando de task force

El informe de la U.S. Navy de 2015 situó al buque en el centro de las operaciones navales de ataque de CTF 50 en el área de la U.S. 5th Fleet.

Sources: U.S. Navy: Charles de Gaulle first Arabian Gulf missions against ISIL; CENTCOM: French Carrier Strike Group joins Operation Inherent Resolve; French Ministry of Armed Forces: Operation Chammal.

Media

Charles de Gaulle Videos

Charles de Gaulle Images

Charles de Gaulle, Portaaviones de propulsión nuclear, Sistemas navales - view 1
Source: File:Charles De Gaulle (R91) underway 2009.jpg
Charles de Gaulle, Portaaviones de propulsión nuclear, Sistemas navales - view 2
Source: File:French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) underway on 24 April 2019 (190424-M-BP588-1005).jpg
Related Weapon Systems
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F/A-18 Hornet (Tactical), Carrier-capable multirole strike fighter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsF/A-18 Hornet (Tactical)Carrier-capable multirole strike fighterThe F/A-18 Hornet (Tactical) is the National Naval Aviation Museum's label for the original McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 A-D Hornet family, a twin-engine carrier-capable strike fighter that entered Marine Corps service in 1983 and U.S. Navy service in 1984. NAVAIR describes the Hornet as the nation's first all-weather fighter and attack aircraft; its documented combat record spans Libya, Desert Storm, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, and later coalition campaigns.
Bremen class / F122 frigate, Guided-missile frigate class, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsBremen class / F122 frigateGuided-missile frigate classThe Bremen class / F122 frigate was an eight-ship German Navy frigate class built from 1979 to 1990 and retained in service until Lübeck decommissioned in 2022. Designed around anti-submarine escort work with Sea Lynx helicopters, CODOG propulsion, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Sea Sparrow air defense, torpedo tubes, and later RAM close-defense launchers, the class also appears in the anti-ISIS record through Augsburg's Operation Counter Daesh carrier-escort deployments.
Dassault Rafale, Twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsDassault RafaleTwin-engine multirole fighter aircraftThe Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine multirole fighter built around air defense, reconnaissance, close air support, and deep-strike missions with a common airframe for air force and naval variants. Its documented combat use spans French operations in Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, and the anti-Islamic State air campaign, while Indian Air Force Rafales were reported in the 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict as stand-off strike aircraft using SCALP and HAMMER munitions during Operation Sindoor.

Sources

Naval Group: Charles de Gaulle nuclear propulsionPublisher: Naval Group | Note: Supports manufacturer background, nuclear propulsion, launch year, active service date, and carrier service history. | Accessed: 2026-07-05French Ministry of Armed Forces: Le grand CharlesPublisher: Ministère des Armées et des Anciens combattants | Note: Supports the carrier's capacity for up to 40 aircraft and its general profile as a unique European nuclear-powered carrier. | Accessed: 2026-07-05French Ministry of Armed Forces: La Marine nationale au service des FrançaisPublisher: Ministère des Armées et des Anciens combattants | Note: Supports the Charles de Gaulle crew size of 1,800 to 2,000 sailors and its role as a major French Navy platform. | Accessed: 2026-07-05French Navy: Operation Agapanthe 2007Publisher: Marine nationale / CESM | Note: Used by Charles de Gaulle in Operation Agapanthe over Afghanistan in 2007; the report records 370 sorties, 1,300 flight hours, strike missions, airborne control, and refueling missions. | Accessed: 2026-07-05French Ministry of Armed Forces carrier pagePublisher: Ministère des Armées et des Anciens combattants | Note: Supports Charles de Gaulle key figures and specifications, including dimensions, displacement, and maximum speed. | Accessed: 2026-07-05U.S. Navy: Charles de Gaulle first Arabian Gulf missions against ISILPublisher: U.S. Navy | Note: Supports 2014 War Against the Islamic State direct conflict use by documenting Charles de Gaulle used by the anti-ISIS coalition for Arabian Gulf missions against ISIL as CTF 50 flagship for Operation Inherent Resolve, with its carrier group supporting operations over Iraq and Syria. | Accessed: 2026-07-05CENTCOM: French Carrier Strike Group joins Operation Inherent ResolvePublisher: U.S. Central Command | Note: Supports 2014 War Against the Islamic State direct conflict use by documenting Charles de Gaulle fielded by the anti-ISIS coalition off Syria for Operation Inherent Resolve, launching Rafale Marine and Hawkeye aircraft to support coalition troops and gather intelligence. | Accessed: 2026-07-05French Ministry of Armed Forces: Operation ChammalPublisher: Ministère des Armées et des Anciens combattants | Note: Supports 2014 War Against the Islamic State direct conflict use by documenting Operation Chammal as France's component of Inherent Resolve and the Charles de Gaulle carrier group used to reinforce Chammal eight times from January 2015 to December 2022. | Accessed: 2026-07-05French Navy: Harmattan naval componentPublisher: Marine nationale / CESM | Note: Supports 2011 First Libyan Civil War direct conflict use by documenting Charles de Gaulle fielded by Task Force 473 for Operation Harmattan, with embarked Super Etendard and Rafale F3 aircraft performing interdiction, ground-attack, and reconnaissance missions over Libya. | Accessed: 2026-07-05French Ministry of Armed Forces: Operation Harmattan 2011Publisher: Ministère des Armées et des Anciens combattants | Note: Supports 2011 First Libyan Civil War direct conflict use by documenting Operation Harmattan as France's contribution to the 2011 military intervention in Libya during the Libyan civil war. | Accessed: 2026-07-05Naval News: Narwhal RWS modernization on French Navy vesselsPublisher: Naval News | Note: Supports the relationship between Charles de Gaulle and its three Narwhal 20B remote weapon stations, and broader French Navy Narwhal modernization context. | Accessed: 2026-07-05File:French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.JPEGPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and public-domain licensing page for the primary Charles de Gaulle image. | Accessed: 2026-07-05File:Charles De Gaulle (R91) underway 2009.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a second Charles de Gaulle underway image. | Accessed: 2026-07-05File:French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) underway on 24 April 2019 (190424-M-BP588-1005).jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and public-domain licensing page for a third Charles de Gaulle underway image. | Accessed: 2026-07-05