World Aircraft Carriers List: France

Foudre seaplane cruiser Campinas small seaplane carrier Nord Class small seaplane carriers Nord Pas-de-Calais Rouen small seaplane carrier Commandante Teste seaplane carrier/depot ship Converted Sloop Type small seaplane tenders Belfort Diligente Engageante Conquerante Petrel Class inshore seaplane tenders Petrel 1 Petrel 2 Petrel 3 Petrel 4 Petrel 5 Petrel 6 Petrel 7 Petrel 8 Sans Souci Class small seaplane tenders Sans Souci Sans Peur Sans Pareil Sans Reproche Paul Goffeny Class small seaplane tenders Paul Goffeny (A754) Commandant Robert Giraud (A755) Marcel Le Bihan (A759) small seaplane tender

Bearn experimental aircraft carrier Joffre Class fleet aircraft carriers Joffre Painleve Dixmude escort aircraft carrier Arromanches (R95) light fleet aircraft carrier Clemenceau light fleet aircraft carrier Lafayette class light fleet aircraft carriers Lafayette (R96) Bois Belleau (R97) Jeanne D'Arc (R97) helicopter/training cruiser Clemenceau Class light multirole aircraft carriers Clemenceau (R98) Foch (R99) Verdun attack aircraft carrier PH 75 Project nuclear powered amphibious assault ship Charles De Gaulle (R91) nuclear powered multirole aircraft carrier

Concept/Program: A cruiser-type ship modified as a minimal seaplane carrier as an outgrowth of aviation tender/depot ship duties.

Design/Conversion: Built to a cruiser-like design as a torpedo boat depot ship, then modified for a series of auxiliary duties. She became a seaplane depot ship in 1912, and her 1913 modifications to carry and operate aircraft were probably an outgrowth of that duty. The conversion was minimal, consisting mainly of a makeshift hangar. She could nominally operate 8 seaplanes, but normally carried 2-4.

Operational: Saw service in a variety of auxiliary roles during WWI.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Worn out by the end of WWI, she was discared in 1921.

During WWI she was employed in many duties, including submarine tender (various times 1914-1918), seaplane/aircraft transport, and headquarters ship (1916). Served as an aaviation school ship post WWI. Stricken 1 Dec 1921 and presumably scrapped.

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Concept/Program: A small merchant ship modified for seaplane service during WWI.

Design/Conversion: Minimal conversion; small hangars and hoisting gear fitted on deck.

Operational: Operated in the Mediterranean; deployed to Suez in 1916.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Her fate is not known.

Operated in the Mediterranean, deployed to Suez 1916. Disposition unknown.

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Concept/Program: Channel packet steamers taken over at the start of WWI as seaplane carriers.

Design/Conversion: Minimal conversion; small hangars and hoisting gear fitted on deck. These were paddlewheel ships.

Operational: Both based along the northern French coast.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Returned to merchant service in 1919.

Based at Dunkirk 1916-1917. Returned to merchant service 1919. Fate unknown.

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Based at Cherbourg 1916-1917; operated on patrol duties. Returned to merchant service 1919. Fate unknown.

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Concept/Program: Channel packet steamer taken over at the start of WWI as an auxiliary cruiser, later converted to a seaplane carrier.

Design/Conversion: Details unknown; probably similar to other small seaplane carriers.

Operational: Operated on convoy duties in the Mediterranean.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Returned to merchant service in 1919; served in French and German navies in WWII.

Operated in the Mediterranean. Returned to merchant service 1919. Taken into naval service early in WWII as an ammunition ship, served as an evacuation transport at Dunkirk. Captured by the Germans 1940 and commissioned as minelayer Wullenwever. Hulk recovered at Kiel postwar; scrapped in 1946.

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Concept/Program: A multipurpose ship designed to serve as an offensive seaplane carrier, a repair/depot ship for battleship and cruiser seaplanes, and a seaplane transport.

Design: High-freeboard hull with large integral hangar and a seaplane deck, 4 heavy cranes and a catapult amidships. Small crane and working area at the stern.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Lost along with the bulk of the French fleet in 1942.

Operated in the Mediterranean early in WWII. Scuttled at Toulon 27 November 1942 to avoid capture by Germans. Raised 1946. Planned refit as a fast transport or reconstruction as a training carrier cancelled. Received minimal refit and was used as stores ship. Sold for scrapping 15 May 1950.

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Concept/Program: 8 small seaplane support ships ordered for the Air Ministry in 1931 but operated by the Navy. Many details unknown.

Design: Small utility craft with light maintenance facilities at the stern.

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Concept/Program: A series of four obsolete sloops/gunboats designated for disposal in 1942, but retained for conversion to seaplane tenders at the outbreak of war. Apparently only two vessels were actually converted.

Class: Diligente and Engageante were Friponne class; Conquerante was of the similar Valliante class. Belfort was an Amiens class convoy sloop, designed to look like a merchant ship in order to confuse enemy submarines.

Design/Conversion: Minimal. Those actually fitted for seaplane service had a small crane and light maintenance facilities.

Built by Arsenal De Lorient. Laid down ???, launched 3/1919, probably completed 1919. Fitted as a seaplane tender by 1939.

Sold 22 November 1946 and subsequently scrapped.

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Built by Arsenal De Brest. Laid down ???, launched 1916, probably completed 1916. Apparently converted to seaplane tender 1939-1940.

Laid up in the UK from 6/1940 to the end of the war. Scrapped 12/1946.

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Built by Arsenal De Brest. Laid down ??, launched 1916, probably completed 1916. Planned conversion to seaplane tender apparently not carried out. Laid up at Algiers early in WWII. Stricken 1944, scrapped 3 December 1945.

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Built by Arsenal De Brest. Laid down ???, launched 1917, probably completed 1917. Planned seaplane tender conversion apparently not carried out. Was in the UK at the fall of France; seized by the British 3 July 1940. Briefly served as an RN patol vessel. Sunk by German aircraft at Falmouth in 1941.

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Concept/Program: A class of four small seaplane tenders, presumably for duty in the Pacific and other remote regions, where there was a need to support scouting aircraft at undeveloped bases. The incomplete ships were captured by the Germans during WWII; initial plans were to complete them as seaplane tenders, but they were used as gunboats instead. The survivors were returned postwar and were completed as survey ships.

Rebuilt as survey ship Beautemps Beaupre postwar, completed 8 May 1947. Stricken 1969, hulked as Q456, scrapped 1973.

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Rebuilt as survey ship La Perourse, completed 23 April 1947. Stricken 1969, hulked at Brest, hulk survived at least through 1984. Eventually sunk as a target, date unknown.

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Concept/Program: Two ex-German tug-type small seaplane tenders taken over after WWII and employed in seaplane support duties in Indochina. Relatively little is known about their French service.

Operated as a seaplane support ship in Indochina from 1948 to 1955, then as a patrol and rescue ship in the South Atlantic until 1964. From 1964 to 1968 served as a hydrographic vessel. Decommissioned to reserve 30 December 1968. Fate unknown.

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Operated as a seaplane support ship in Indochina through the 1950's. Reclassified as netlayer in 1963 and stationed in Madagascar. Decommissioned to reserve 1976. Fate unknown.

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Concept/Program: A third ex-German tug-type seaplane tender taken over after WWII and employed in Indochina.

Operated as a seaplane support ship in Indochina from 1948 to 1961, then became a deep-sea dive support ship. Survived at least through 1982. Fate unknown.

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Concept/Program: A WWI-era battleship converted to an experimental carrier postwar. Designed with British assistance. As in other nations' early carriers, she spent her early years in experimental, trials and development roles and was quickly made obsolete by advancing carrier design.

Design/Conversion: Basic battleship hull retained, but armor greatly reduced. Reboilered, but the original steam/reciprocating plant was retained. Had a single-level hangar, but with repair shops and spare aircraft storage below. Large island sponsoned out to starboard. Her elevators were small, oddly shaped and inneficient. Was too slow to serve as an effective fleet unit.

Modifications: The flight deck was rebuilt with a downward slope at the bow soon after completion. Refitted and generally upgraded in 1935.

Operational: Her operational abilities were limited by the poor selection of aircraft available, in addition to her low speed.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Service as a carrier ended with the fall of France in 1940; her only wartime and postwar service was as an aircraft transport.

Refitted 1935. Interned at Martinique 6/1940, demilitarized 5/1942. Transferred to Free French forces 30 June 1943. Refitted as aircraft transport 1943-1944 at New Orleans; guns replaced by 4 5/38, 5 quad 40 mm, 26 20 mm.

Used as a transport to Southeast Asia postwar. Hulked 1948 as a training ship, later used as a submarine depot ship. Stricken 11/1966, sold 31 March 1967 and subsequently scrapped in Italy.

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Concept/Program: An inter-war fleet carrier project; the outbreak of war forced cancellation.

Design: A somewhat unusual design, with dual hangars totally separate from the hull, and a large starboard-side superstructure.

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Concept/Program: US-built escort carrier transferred immediately postwar. She was used mainly as an aviation transport.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Her service as a carrier ended in 1949 and she became an aviation transport, later hulked as a base ship.

Damaged by fire in port 24 August 1944; repair facilities were not available and the ship was laid up in reserve. Returned to USN 9 April 1945 and immediately transferred to France as Dixmude. After limited service as a carrier she was used as a transport starting 1949 and was disarmed during 1951-1953. Stricken from USN Naval Vessels Register 24 Jan 1951. Hulked as an accommodation/base ship 1960. At the end of her active service she was listed at 8,500 tons displacement and 16 knots maximum speed. Returned to USN for disposal 10 June 1966. Subsequently sunk as a target.

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Concept/Program: An ex-RN light fleet carrier loaned immediately postwar; the first real step towards rebuilding the French navy's strength. She served in several roles and was updated with an angled deck before being replaced.

Modifications: Refitted in 1957-58 with a shallow angled deck, catapult and AA guns removed; outfitted as ASW and training carrier. Again reffitted 1968 for ASW service.

Operational: Saw combat service off Vietnam and at Suez.

Departure from Service/Disposal: By the mid-1950's she had been replaced in the first-line role, by 1968 she could only operate helicopters, and in 1974 she was finally discarded.

Frequently deployed to Indo-China starting in 1949. Formally sold to France in 1951. Refitted in 1957-58 as an ASW/training carrier. Starting in 1962 she embarked assault helicopters at times. Refitted in 1968 to serve primarily in the ASW role and redesignated as a helicopter carrier with 24 helicopters embarked. She was also tasked with intervention/assault, training, and fast military transport.

Decommissioned and stricken 22 Jan 1974; subsequently sold and scrapped at Toulon in 1978.

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Concept/Program: The first major French carrier construction program of the postwar era, this ship would have been a light fleet carrier. The program was inspired by the need for effective carriers in the Vietnamese conflict, but that same conflict forced the cancellation of this program for economic reasons.

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Concept/Program: Ex-USN light fleet carriers transferred in the early 1950's. These ships formed the main strength of the French Navy until the new Clemenceau class ships were commissioned in the 1960's.

Design: Originally laid down as light cruisers but completed as light carriers. These ships had virtually no growth margin, preventing any major postwar modernizations.

Modifications: Armament reduced and electronics upgraded in French service.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Replaced by the new Clemenceau class ships and returned to USN for scrapping in the early 1960's.

Transferred to France 8 Jan 1951, overhauled during reactivation. Renamed Lafayette and commissioned into French service 2 June 1951, designated R96.

Returned to USN March 1963. Stricken for disposal 20 March 1963, scrapped at Baltimore in 1964.

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Transferred to France 6/51, overhauled during reactivation. Renamed Bois Belleau and commissioned in French service 9 Sept 1953, designated R97.

Returned to USN 9/60, stricken for disposal 1 Oct 1960. Scrapped at Chester PA in 1962.

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Concept/Program: A combination helicopter ship/cruiser meant to act as a training ship in peacetime, ASW or assault ship in wartime. Originally intended only for training, to replace a prewar cruiser, but was redesigned with ASW/assault capabilities due to a general shuffling of duties among the carriers.

Design: Large helicopter deck aft with hangar below, midships superstructure, cruiser-type weapons forward. Lightly armed, reflecting training role. The gun armament was reduced, and an ASW rocket launcher eliminated, during construction. The hangar is used for berthing and other functions in peacetime but can be quickly reconverted for aircraft if needed.

Modifications: Six Exocet SSM fitted in 1975.

Operational: Has been assigned to training duties since completion.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Scheduled to serve through 2005.

6 Exocet added 1975. Refitted 1983-1984 and 1988-1989. Will be stricken 2005.

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Concept/Program: Small, but modern, multirole carriers built to replace the old ex-US CVLs. Formed the mainstay of the French Navy for over 30 years. Both have seen lengthy service as numerous replacement plans were cancelled or delayed. They were intended to operate in the amphibious role if needed, but have served in the carrier role only.

Design: Typical postwar carrier design, but on a smaller scale. Relatively heavy gun armament; the angled deck is shallower than in US ships. Additional armament had been planned but was eliminated to reduce topweight, and the ships were bulged to improve stability.

Modifications: Both went through extensive overhauls in the late 1970's/early 1980's and had new defensive systems fitted in the late 1980's: 2 Crotale SAM launchers fitted in place of 4 100 mm guns.

Departure from Service/Disposal: Clemenceau decommissioned without replacement 9/1997. Foch was to be retired and held in reserve following the completion of De Gaulle, but it was announced 6/1998 that she would be permanently retired instead.

Extensive refit at Toulon 9/77 to 11/78. Refitted with new defensive systems 1 Sept 1985 to 31 Aug 1987. Decommissioned 9/1997; plans for disposal unknown.

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Refitted 15 July 1980 to 4 Dec 1981. Refitted with new defensive systems 2/87 to 6/88. Decommissioned 15 November 2000 and transferred to Brazil as Sao Paulo (A12) same date.

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Concept/Program: A larger carrier, intended as a nuclear-strike ship. Cancelled due to cost; one of a series of projects to meet this fate.

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Concept/Program: Initially conceived as a replacement for the aging Arromanches in the assualt role, this ship grew to include assault, ASW, disaster relief, and command roles. Nuclear propulsion was chosen, presumably to allow expeditionary operations without supporting auxiliaries. When this was officially a "live" project it was planned for completion in 1981, but was continually delayed and eventually cancelled.
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Concept/Program: This ship is the realization of a long series of design studies intended to replace or supplement the Clemenceaus. Nuclear propulsion and a prolonged construction period have made the project tremendously expensive. The commissioning date has been continually delayed, and a proposed second ship has now been dropped.

Design: Similar to Clemenceau in size and general configuration. The design incorporates many stealth features. She will be able to operate in the carrier or assault role, or as a combination ship.

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