France’s Charles De Gaulle docks in Limassol
Europe’s largest warship, the French navy flagship Charles De Gaulle, docked at Limassol port once again on Friday, in view of upcoming joint military exercises between the armies of Cyprus and France.
Built in 1993, the aircraft carrier was taken under the French navy’s wing in 2000. The vessel has a displacement of 42,000 tonnes at full load, a total length of 261 meters, a width of 64 meters and an airway of 195 meters.
The Charles De Gaulle can carry a crew of 2000 persons, and travels on nuclear energy.
The vessel is currently carrying: 20 Rafale fighter jets, two E-2C Hawkeye aircraft, one Caïman helicopter, two Dauphin Pedro.
The aircraft carrier had previously docked at the Limassol port in 2010 and 2016, and is scheduled to depart on February 26.
President Nicos Anastasiades is set to visit the aircraft carrier on Saturday.
[Kathimerini Cyprus]
