French aircraft carrier enters fight against Daesh

France deployed the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Persian Gulf on Monday as part of the US-led coalition against the Islamic State organisation in Iraq, taking a further step in its military campaign against jihadists, Radio France Internationale reported.
"The integration of the Charles de Gaulle in the (French) operation Chammal (in Iraq) begins this morning," a member of Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian's staff said.
The first Rafale fighter jets took off in the early morning from the Charles de Gaulle. The aircraft carrier was sailing about 200 kilometers off the coast north of Bahrain in the Gulf going towards Iraq.
It should take the jets about one hour and a half to reach their destination. This is half the time it takes for the planes of the French army to reach Iraq for strikes against IS positions from their base in the United Arab Emirates.
The Charles de Gaulle left the French southern city of Toulon on 13 January for a five-month mission alongside the American USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier to help in the fight against Daesh, a French military source said. It is due to sail to India to take part in naval exercises.
The French carrier has 12 Rafale and nine Super-Etendard jets on board, adding to France’s nine Rafale and six Mirage fighters already operating in Iraq from bases in the UAE and Jordan.
France launched Operation Chammal in September as part of the US-led coalition against Daesh fighters.