Clemenceau (R 98)

"Clemenceau" (R 98), often affectionately called "le Clem'", was the lead ship of her class, and the 8th aircraft carrier of the French Navy, serving from 1961 to 1997. She was the second French warship to be named after Georges Clemenceau, the first one being a battleship of the "Richelieu" class, laid down in 1939 but never finished.

History

Development of "Clemenceau" represented France's successful effort to produce its own class of multi-role carriers to replace American and British ships which were provided at the end of World War II. The ship was a small but effective design, using elements of United States carrier design, but to a smaller scale. The vessels were given relatively heavy gun armament for their size, and some stability problems were encountered which required bulging the hull.

"Clemenceau" went through a major refit from September 1977 to November 1978. She was again refitted with new defensive systems from 1 September 1985 to 31 August 1987, including replacement of four of the 100 mm guns with a pair of Crotale surface-to-air missile launchers.

"Clemenceau" and "Foch", her sister ship, served as the mainstay of the French fleet, and during her career, she sailed more than convert|1000000|nmi|km|-6 in 3,125 days at sea, on all the seas of the world.

Missions

1974 Independence of Djibouti, in the Indian Ocean.

1982-1984 Lebanon civil war the, She would rotate with the Foch providing constant on station air support to French peacekeepers. [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/clemenceau.htm Clemenceau ] ]

1987-1988 Operation Prométhée. The ship receives orders to position in Oman sea, to protect French merchant traffic in Persian gulf from Iranian speedboats during war between Iran and Iraq. She arrives on area on 15 August. Iranian P-3 Orion intercepted by F-8 Crusader on CAP.

1990, the ship escorted by the "Colbert" and the "Var", transported 40 helicopters (SA-341F/ -342 Gazelles, SA-330 Pumas), three Br-1050 Alizés and trucks to Iraq during 'Desert storm & Desert shield'. [ [http://frenchnavy.free.fr/ships/aircraft-carrier/clemenceau/clemenceau.htm CV Clemenceau & Foch ] ]

1993-1996 several tours including combat operations and air patrol over former Yugoslavia [ [http://frenchnavy.free.fr/ships/aircraft-carrier/clemenceau/history.htm History of the CV Clemenceau ] ] during operation 'Balbuzard' to support the UN's troops.

The vessel is referenced as Hull Q-790

Reports of a mutiny

During the May 1968 social turmoil the French political/satirical magazine Le Canard enchaîné issue of 19 June 1968 reported a mutiny aboard the "Clemenceau". The carrier was bound for a nuclear test in the Pacific at the end of May, but was brought back to Toulon. Three families were informed that their sons had been 'lost at sea'. The magazine of the UNEF (National Union of Students of France) apparently carried a fuller report in its 14th June issue but the print run was seized. [ [http://www.marxists.org/archive/cliff/works/1968/france/6-revsit.htm Cliff/Birchall: France - the struggle goes on (Revolutionary situation?) ] ]

Disposal controversy

In December 2004, before "Clemenceau" set sail for India, Greenpeace started protesting against France's plans to outsource the scrapping of the 27,000-ton warship laden with toxins such as asbestos, PCBs, lead, mercury, and other toxic chemicals in India in violation of the Basel Convention.

On 31 December 2005 "Clemenceau" left the French port of Toulon to be dismantled in Alang, Gujarat, India.

On 6 January 2006 the Supreme Court of India temporarily denied access to Alang. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4588922.stm]

On 12 January 2006 the ship reached Egypt, where she was boarded by two Greenpeace activists. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4605374.stm] Egyptian authorities denied access to the Suez Canal.

On 15 January the ship was finally allowed to pass. This decision was heavily criticised by Greenpeace and other environmental groups. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4615662.stm] That same day French President Jacques Chirac ordered "Clemenceau" to return to French waters and remain on standby following a ruling by France's highest administrative court, the "Conseil d'État". [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4716472.stm]

After lying off the French naval port at Brest for over two years, Able UK issued a press release on the 1st July 2008 [http://www.ableuk.com/pressreleases.shtml] confirming that they had been given the contract to dismantle the "Clémenceau" at its TERRC facility at Graythorp, Hartlepool. Special dispensation was given to Able by the UK HSE to handle the asbestos content of the carrier which would normally have been prohibited by its Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006. [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4249526.ece]

The vessel will be moved to Able UK after the September 29, 2008 court proceedings authorize the activity.

Notable popular culture

*One of the most well-rememberedFact|date=July 2008 television commercials in France, a 1985 spot for the Citroën Visa GTI, was shot on "Clemenceau". A race pits the car against a Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard; both continue off the end of the carrier, with the small automobile briefly keeping pace with the aircraft before plummeting into the ocean. Seconds later, though, the car triumphantly emerges, perched on the foredeck of a surfacing "Agosta" class submarine. [http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsez_pub-de-1988-citroen-visa-gti_ads]

Gallery

ee also

* List of aircraft carriers
* List of ship launches in 1957
* List of ship commissionings in 1961
* List of ship decommissionings in 1997

References

External links

* [http://www.alabordache.com/marine/espacemarine/desarme/porte-avions/clemenceau/ Aircraft Carrier Clemenceau on Alabordache]
* [http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2302/fl230200.htm Deadly Vessel] : Feature on the Vessel in the Indian newspagazine Frontline
* [http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/clemenceaushipbreakingvictory150206 Victory: Toxic warship Clemenceau turned back to France!] : Greenpeace View of the controversy