{"id":23841,"date":"2018-03-27T19:36:05","date_gmt":"2018-03-27T19:36:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/27\/french-aircrews-ready-to-train-in-norfolk\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:20:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:20:55","slug":"french-aircrews-ready-to-train-in-norfolk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2018\/03\/27\/french-aircrews-ready-to-train-in-norfolk\/","title":{"rendered":"French aircrews ready to train in Norfolk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Two Norfolk-area bases and the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush are set to host 350 French Navy aviators and their support personnel for training from early April until mid-May, Naval Air Forces Atlantic announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The French Navy operates the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside the United States, and they are currently the only other Navy operating steam-powered catapults for launching aircraft as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But France\u2019s carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, is currently about a year into an 18-month mid-life overhaul, so to ensure they are in shape for sea once the ship is ready, they will be knocking the rust off onboard the Bush.<\/p>\n\n\n\t