French Falklands Comparative Exercise.

French Naval Aviation

I don't remember the exact date, but IIRC one of the 2 French aircraft carriers had been operating as a helicopter carrier since about 1970. I don't know if they could have turned it back into an operational attack carrier at short notice in 1982.

From some notes I made a while ago from a French website about the Aeronavale its strength in 1982 was:

-One Alize squadron (6F) because 9F was disbanded in 1973.
-One Crusader squadron (12F) because 14F converted to Super Etendards in 1980.
-3 Super Etendard squadrons (11, 14 and 17F) which had converted 1979-80. There had originally been 3 Etendard IVM squadrons, but 15F disbanded in 1970.
-One Etendard IVP squadron (16F).
-5 LRMP squadrons (21-25F). The first four with Atlantiques and the last had Neptunes.
-5 helicopter squadrons (31-35F). One Alouette, 2 Super Frelon and 2 Lynx.
 

Archibald

Banned
I don't remember the exact date, but IIRC one of the 2 French aircraft carriers had been operating as a helicopter carrier since about 1970. I don't know if they could have turned it back into an operational attack carrier at short notice in 1982.
Clemenceaus as helicopter carrier was not a true conversion similar to the British carriers (i.e remove the catapults).
It was basically "load a shitload of helicopters from all three services - Army, Navy and Armée de l'air." Up to 45 of them.

Both Clemenceaus remained fully CATOBAR.

The real issue might be - not enough aircrafts for both Foch and Clemenceau.
As far as I remember all the crisis - from Africa to Lebanon and beyond - there was only one carrier. I can't remember an operation that had both Foch and Clemenceau operating jointly.

Or, alternatively, you could have a French aeronavale wank - with naval Mirage F1M53 interceptors, A-7E Corsair II instead of SEM, E-1B turbotracer for AEW, and even Breguet 941 for C.O.D and troop transport and assault.
 
Last edited:
Top