The Clemenceau class aircraft carrier are a pair of aircraft carriers which served in the French Navy from 1961 through 2000, and of which one currently remains in active service with the Brazilian Navy. Clemenceau was France's first successful aircraft carrier design after World War II and was the backbone of the French Fleet for the duration of its forty years of service.
Ships in class
The two vessels of the Clemenceau class are:
- Clemenceau, lead ship of the class, was laid down in 1955, launched in 1957, and commissioned in 1961. She served in numerous roles with the French Navy alongside Foch for 36 years until finally decommissioned in 1997. After the end of her service she became embroiled in controversy over her disposal. She is currently in the process of being dismantled and recycled by Able UK at Graythorpe on Teesside, England.
- Foch, followed "le Clem" by about two years in building, and served slightly longer than the lead ship, being commissioned from 1963 to 2000. However, instead of being destined for scrap, she was immediately transferred to the Brazilian Navy where she continues to serve as São Paulo, the only aircraft carrier currently serving in Brazil.
| Clemenceau Class Aircraft Carrier | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | DCN |
| Operators: |  Marine Nationale Brazilian Navy |
| In commission: | 22 November 1961 |
| Completed: | 2 |
| Active: | São Paulo (ex-Foch) |
| Retired: | Clemenceau |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 32,780 |
| Length: | 265 m (869 ft) |
| Beam: | 31.7 m (104 ft) |
| Draught: | 8.6 m (28 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 6 x Indret boilers 4 x steam turbines 126,000 shp |
| Speed: | 32 knots (59 km/h) |
| Range: | 7,500 miles |
| Aircraft carried: | 40 |
| Aviation facilities: | Angled flight deck for CATOBAR operations |
