bureau@math.arizona.edu (Pierre Bureau) (04/22/91)
From: bureau@math.arizona.edu (Pierre Bureau) Paul Stacy (v059l49z@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu) writes: >When the French sent one to the Gulf I read it carried combat helicopters. >Why didn't they use their regular fixed-wing aircraft? I would think they >would be better for what ended up happening (mostly air war with planes.) The french gov't sent the carrier "Clemenceau" to the Persian Gulf mostly as a symbolic token force. It's no secret the Clemenceau's air wing is obsolete but for a few super-etendards, which are a kind of bomber (well, certainly not a fighter in any case). The fighters aboard the ship are old F-8 crusaders bought in 1964. The general staff knew that they would be no match to modern jets. The Defense minister decided to use the Clemenceau to carry helicopters (and trucks, VAB). Thus the Clemenceau was converted from an aircraft-carrier to a "helicopter/trucks-carriers", i.e. a huge barge... >Did the helicopters it carried see action? Of course they did. They were transported to Yambu (a saudi port on the northern Red Sea) from which they flew up north-east to some base. I think there were 42 gazelles (equipped with 4 "HOT" anti-tank m cable guided-missiles and a 20mm cannon) and 6 pumas. All from some chopper regiment. They were later reinforced by more gazelles. They saw action as they protected the french/US advance in Iraq, destroyed some tanks and raided a couple of positions. But they had nothing to do w/ the Clemenceau which returned home in october. Pierre