FS Foch (R99)

History

The conventionally powered Clemenceau-class aircraft carriers were developed for the French Navy during the critical period after World War II (1939-1945), when the Soviet Union was now the common enemy of the Western will during the Cold War (1947-1991). The class ultimately consisted of two ships, the FS Clemenceau and the FS Foch, built by the Arsenal de Brest and the Chantiers de l'Atlantique (Saint-Nazaire) respectively.

The French Navy initially planned to procure as many as six units in negotiations in the late 1940s, but by 1953 the plan was eventually whittled down to just three units. Ultimately, this goal was further reduced to only two ships known to naval history.

Ordered by Foch in 1955 and laid on 15 November 1957. She was launched on July 23, 1960, and officially commissioned on November 15, 2000, with registration number "R99".

Up to 40 aircraft can be flown from the Foch, including fixed-wing and helicopter types, from the Dassault Ensign fighter-bomber, Dassault Ensign IVP and Vought F-8 Crusader to the Breguet Alize. Dauhpin Pedro and Aerospatiale "Super Frelon".

Foch was commissioned in 1963, and in 1966 joined the Alpha Force and France to conduct nuclear power experiments in the Pacific Ocean. In 1978, she was deployed to the Red Sea during Operation Sapphire II during Djibouti's independence. Foch went into a period of overhaul from 1981 to 1982, changes that allowed her to support the tactical nukes on board (the AN52 15kT, the tactical nuke used in her Super Ensign aircraft). In 1983, as part of Operation Ollivant, she was deployed off the coast of Lebanon, alternating with Clemenceau at the station to support peace efforts there. In 1984, she acquired satellite communications (SATCOM) capabilities and additional modernization, which led to the installation of a new catapult system and a laser landing system.

From 1993 to 1999, Foch regularly participated in operations in the former Yugoslavia as part of UN and NATO peacekeeping operations. Between 1995 and 1996, with further modifications to the deck design, the ship tested the new, state-of-the-art Dassault Rafale multirole fighter for a period of time.

Her last assignment was in 2000, where she traveled the world for four months as part of Task Force 473.

Despite her apparent design, Foch was never able to deploy a full air group, so the ultimate responsibility was shared between her and the lead ship Clemenceau. However, instead of being torched by scrap dealers, Foch was sold to Brazil as NAe Sao Paulo detailed elsewhere on this site.

Sao Paulo was acquired in 2000 and has since been demobilized and planned to close.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Wing