Britain and France send their aircraft-carriers out together

UNDER AN AZUREHMS sky in the western Mediterranean, two aircraft-carriers sail eastwards in tandem. One, the , a French nuclear-powered vessel, has 20 years of service behind it. The other, , Britain’s new flagship, is on its maiden operational tour. For the first time the two carriers are taking part in three days of joint exercises. Code-named “Gallic Strike”, this involves war games and simulated sea-to-land strikes by 15 vessels and 57 combat aircraft, including ten American fighter planes and two destroyers.Far from the recent political posturing off Jersey, the French and British navies are busy with the unfashionable business of working together. Aboard the , which that day is serving hamburger to its 1,200 sailors, Rear-Admiral Marc Aussedat points to the “historic dimension” to the exercises. Britain’s Admiral Tony Radakin, the head of the Royal Navy, speaks of “bold steps towards ever greater interoperability” after meeting his French and American counterparts. The three naval bosses declare a “shared commitment to this great partnership of navies”.