2014 War Against the Islamic State

Charles de Gaulle in the 2014 War Against the Islamic State

France used the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle as a carrier strike, command, and surveillance platform for Operation Chammal and Operation Inherent Resolve against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Weapon profileCharles de Gaulle
SideAnti-ISIS coalition and partner forcesRoleLong-Range StrikeCommand, Control & CommunicationsReconnaissance & Surveillance
Charles de Gaulle, Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Naval Systems - 2014 War Against the Islamic State
Image source: File:French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.JPEG

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
Charles de Gaulle was used by the anti-ISIS coalition in Operation Inherent Resolve combat operations in 2015.

Sources: CENTCOM: French and U.S. navies integrate under OIR

Charles de Gaulle served as the CTF 50 flagship and conducted Arabian Gulf missions against ISIL on December 20, 2015.

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

The carrier strike group operated off Syria in March 2019, launching Rafale Marine and Hawkeye aircraft for coalition support and intelligence gathering.

Sources: CENTCOM: French Carrier Strike Group joins OIR

Operation Chammal was France's component of Operation Inherent Resolve, and the Charles de Gaulle carrier group was committed repeatedly between January 2015 and December 2022.

Sources: French Ministry of Armed Forces: Operation Chammal, French Ministry of Armed Forces: Chammal explainer

Timeline

Charles de Gaulle In 2014 War Against the Islamic State

  1. French carrier combat operations in OIR

    CENTCOM reported in April 2015 that French and U.S. sailors had been conducting combat operations together since February, with Charles de Gaulle flying 15 combat sorties a day.

    Sources: CENTCOM: French and U.S. navies integrate under OIR

  2. Arabian Gulf missions against ISIL

    The U.S. Navy reported that Charles de Gaulle conducted its first Arabian Gulf missions against ISIL as the CTF 50 flagship for Operation Inherent Resolve.

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

  3. Carrier strike group arrives off Syria

    CENTCOM reported that the Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group arrived off Syria to support Operation Inherent Resolve and launched Rafale Marine and Hawkeye aircraft.

    Sources: CENTCOM: French Carrier Strike Group joins OIR

  4. Recurring Chammal carrier-group commitment

    French Ministry material described the Charles de Gaulle carrier group as having been committed eight times between January 2015 and December 2022 for Operation Chammal.

    Sources: French Ministry of Armed Forces: Chammal explainer

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

Charles de Gaulle was directly documented in the anti-ISIS campaign through official coalition reporting. In April 2015, CENTCOM reported that French and U.S. sailors had been conducting combat operations together in the Middle East since February as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, and that Charles de Gaulle was flying 15 combat sorties a day with Super Etendard and Rafale fighter aircraft.

On December 20, 2015, the U.S. Navy reported that Charles de Gaulle conducted its first Arabian Gulf missions against ISIL as the flagship for Commander Task Force 50. The same account said the French Navy was leading carrier-based naval strike operations for Operation Inherent Resolve and that the carrier, embarked air wing, and battle group would support operations over Iraq and Syria.

Sources: CENTCOM: French and U.S. navies integrate under OIR, U.S. Navy: Charles de Gaulle Arabian Gulf ISIL missions

Timeline

The carrier's documented anti-ISIS use began with the 2015 Arromanches deployment, when Charles de Gaulle integrated with U.S. carrier operations and generated daily combat sorties for Operation Inherent Resolve.

By December 2015, the ship was operating from the Arabian Gulf as the CTF 50 flagship. In March 2019, CENTCOM and the French Ministry of Defense reported that the Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group arrived off Syria for Operation Inherent Resolve, launched Rafale Marine and Hawkeye aircraft, and reinforced French Operation Chammal.

Sources: CENTCOM: French and U.S. navies integrate under OIR, U.S. Navy: Charles de Gaulle Arabian Gulf ISIL missions, CENTCOM: French Carrier Strike Group joins OIR

Operational role

Charles de Gaulle functioned as a mobile sea-based air platform for France's contribution to the coalition campaign. Official reporting ties the ship to strike sorties, combat support, command-and-control integration with U.S. naval forces, and airborne surveillance through Hawkeye aircraft.

French Ministry material describes Operation Chammal as the French part of the international Operation Inherent Resolve coalition, launched on September 19, 2014. A later French ministry explainer said the carrier group built around Charles de Gaulle was committed eight times between January 2015 and December 2022, placing the ship within a recurring French naval contribution to the campaign rather than a single isolated deployment.

Sources: CENTCOM: French and U.S. navies integrate under OIR, CENTCOM: French Carrier Strike Group joins OIR, French Ministry of Armed Forces: Operation Chammal, French Ministry of Armed Forces: Chammal explainer

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Sources