Twelve French Navy (Marine Nationale) Rafale M aircraft and one E-2C Hawkeye will join the US Navy Naval Base Oceana, on the East Coast of the United States. The carrier-borne aircraft are participating in the "Chesapeake" deployment. From April 3 to May 27, 2018, nearly 350 sailors from aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its carrier air group (CAG) will be deployed in the United States of America to continue their operational training. This deployment, dubbed "Chesapeake" in reference to the Battle of Chesapeake Bay, aims to maintain the skills of French sailors and as well as maintain the high level of interoperability between the Marine Natioanle and the US Navy. It will consist of an onshore phase, at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, followed by an at-sea phase aboard the aircraft carrier (CVN) USS George H.W. Bush.
Twelve French Navy (Marine Nationale) Rafale M aircraft and one E-2C Hawkeye will join the US Navy Naval Base Oceana, on the East Coast of the United States. The carrier-borne aircraft are participating in the "Chesapeake" deployment. From April 3 to May 27, 2018, nearly 350 sailors from aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its carrier air group (CAG) will be deployed in the United States of America to continue their operational training. This deployment, dubbed "Chesapeake" in reference to the Battle of Chesapeake Bay, aims to maintain the skills of French sailors and as well as maintain the high level of interoperability between the Marine Natioanle and the US Navy. It will consist of an onshore phase, at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, followed by an at-sea phase aboard the aircraft carrier (CVN) USS George H.W. Bush.