France is set to deploy its largest warship to join operations against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, the BBC reported Thursday. “Armenpress” reports about the aforesaid, citingsputniknews.com website.
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France is part of an worldwide coalition led by the United States that claims to be fighting Daesh in Iraq and Syria. Its involvement in the campaign will shorten the time it takes for French jets to carry out air strikes.
The Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier was previously deployed in February to the Persian Gulf to back military operations against the extremists, Cypel added. The vessel’s return to the battle will bolster France’s contribution to the fight, adding the de Gaulle’s embarked fighters – typically about 20 planes – to a complement of about six aircraft based in Jordan and six in the UAE, where France maintains a naval station.
French warplanes struck their first targets in Syria at the end of September.
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The aircraft carrier can carry up to 40 aircraft and support 100 flights a day. The French President, Francois Hollande, portrayed the arrangement as “an objective decision” which would “permit us to be more proficient in a joint effort with our associates”. French jets have since carried out 271 air strikes in 1,285 aerial missions, according to Agence France-Presse. Moreover, it is the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside the US.
