Charles de Gaulle and Dwight D. Eisenhower had a complicated relationship—both as military generals and later as leaders of their nations. There was mutual respect between the two during World War II, though, and it is fitting when the warships named for these leaders conduct joint operations. They did just that in early May, when the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) sailed alongside the French Marine Nationale carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R91) in the Mediterranean Sea.

CVN-69 was on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, the U.S. Navy announced. The French flattop was operating as part of NATO’s Akila mission to demonstrate the alliance’s deterrence capability in the Mediterranean. The Marine Nationale shared images of the two carriers sailing together on X.

France Carrier Under NATO Operations

As previously reported, The Marine Nationale’s flagship, alongside a strike group, is deployed under the oversight of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO. The ongoing mission reflects France’s growing involvement with NATO since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine.

Indeed, Charles de Gaulle, the only nuclear-powered flattop in service apart from the U.S. Navy’s supercarriers, deployed under NATO command for the first time. So did her strike group, which included a French air-defense frigate, a multi-mission frigate, and a nuclear attack submarine, per Naval News.

The French flagship’s airwing reportedly includes eighteen Rafale fighter jets—two-thirds of the ship’s capability—along with two E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning and control aircraft and two Dauphin SAR helicopters. The airwing is supported by one land-based Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft, operating in either a surface- or submarine-warfare role.

The IKE Has Gone the Distance

Dwight D. Eisenhower recently completed a deployment of nearly six months in the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility, after which it was sent to the region to help protect Israel and discourage escalation following the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023. The carrier and its strike group took part in defensive and offensive operations against Houthi forces in Yemen, providing additional protection to commercial shipping in the neutral waters of the Red Sea.

CVN-69 is the second-oldest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in service in the world today, and she is currently scheduled to be replaced around 2029, when the new Gerald R. Ford-class supercarrier USS Enterprise (CVN-80) enters service.

Author Experience and Expertise

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].