FS Charles de Gaulle conducts first airstrikes with CTF 50

The French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R 91) took charge of U.S. Navy’s Commander Task Force 50 on December 20 to conduct first airstrikes against ISIL as the CTF 50 flagship.

When the FS Charles de Gaulle entered what is known as the U.S. 5th fleet area of operations on December 7, it took over the command of Combined Task Force 50 which operates in the Persian and Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea.

This marked the first time the French Navy has served as commander of a U.S. task force in this region.

The carrier and embarked air wing, along with the other ships in her battle group, will support operations over Iraq and Syria. She will also provide a range of capabilities to perform theater security cooperation efforts and maritime security operations aimed at increasing the French Navy’s interoperability with allies in the region.

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