Quote:
Originally Posted by Super_Dave_D
RPKESQ - you are really going to defend the de Gaulle??? It cant compare to a Nimitz class carrier!!! What a POS and it even looks ugly!
The Charles de Gaulle has suffered from a variety of problems [see James Dunnigan's "How NOT to Build an Aircraft Carrier"]. The Charles de Gaulle took eleven years to build, with construction beginning in 1988 and entering service in late 2000. For comparison, constructino of the American CVN 77 began in 2001 with a projected delivery in 2008. The 40,000 ton ship is slower than the conventionally powered Foch, which she it replaced. The propellers on the CDG did not work properly, so she recycled those of the Foch. The nuclear reactor was problematic, with the engine crew receiving five times the allowable annual radiation dose. The flight deck layout has precluded operating the E-2 radar aircraft.
I did a little comparison with the de Gaulle and the George Washington. Keep in mind that the Washington is two times larger than the de Gaulle
GW de Gaulle
Laid down 1986 1989
Commissioned 1990 1994
In Service 1992 2001
4 years for the GW from start to commission (bottle broken over her) and 2 years into service
The de Gaulle took 5 years from start to commission and another 7 years to work out the issues.
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Not an apples to apples comparison. Who ever said the CDG was a Nimitz class carrier? It was designed for different roles than our carriers. Did you know the French CDG is perminatley configured to house 800 commandos? Our Nimitz carriers are not. Obvisously different roles for different requirements.
Also the GW was not the first US nuclear carrier. The CDG is France's first nuclear carrier. Everybody has learning curves with new technology. And most of the delays in commissioning for the CDG were polictical, not technical in nature. Look that up.
Here is the build and commissioning history of the first US nuclear carrier: In 1958 Enterprise’s keel was laid at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company. On September 24, 1960 the ship was launched for the first time, sponsored by Mrs. W. B. Franke, wife of the former Secretary of the Navy. On November 25, 1961 the Enterprise was commissioned, with Captain Vincent P. DePoix in command. On January 12, 1962 the ship then made its maiden voyage conducting a three-month shakedown cruise. After commissioning, Enterprise began a lengthy series of tests and training exercises designed to determine the full capabilities of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
Not quite lighting fast either, was it? (we also had the Cold War spurring on our military budgets at that time.)