French aircraft carrier soon ready to strike ISIS

French jets will be able to launch air strikes on Islamic State targets from an aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean from Monday, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has said.

Published: 22 November 2015 10:45 CET

French aircraft carrier soon ready to strike ISIS

French technicians work on the flight deck of the Charles-de-Gaulle on Saturday. Photo: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP

“It will be operational from tomorrow,” Le Drian told Europe 1 radio on Sunday, nine days after attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.

France's Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier left the port of Toulon on Thursday to bring its fleet of 20 strike aircraft within range of ISIS strongholds in Syria and Iraq.

The 261.5m nuclear-powered vessel, commissioned in 2001, is the largest warship in deployment by any Western European country.

Its 20 aircraft include Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard, Dassault Rafale M and E‑2C Hawkeye aircraft, as well as EC725 Caracal and AS532 Cougar helicopters.

Aircraft from the ship were involved in Operation Enduring Freedom against Taliban-controlled Afghanistan in 2001, helped enforce the UN no-fly zone over Libya in 2011, and carried out strikes against ISIS targets in February.