Rafale M

A French Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft conducts touch and go landings aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during a coalition training exercise. The Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is operating in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility after a scheduled five month deployment in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Rafael Figueroa Medina/Released)

Rafale M

A French F-2 Rafale fighter performs a touch-and-go during combined French and American carrier qualifications aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is participating in Joint Task Force Exercise "Operation Brimstone" off the Atlantic coast. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Sheldon Rowley/Released)

Rafale M

A French F-2 Rafale fighter performs a touch-and-go during combined French and American carrier qualifications aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is participating in Joint Task Force Exercise "Operation Brimstone" off the Atlantic coast. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Sheldon Rowley/Released)

Rafale M

A French F-2 Rafale fighter launches off the flight deck during combined French and American carrier qualifications aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). This event marks the first integrated U.S. and French carrier qualifications aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is participating in Joint Task Force Exercise "Operation Brimstone" off the Atlantic coast until the end of July. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John M. Stratton)

Rafale M

A French F-2 Rafale fighter launches off the flight deck during combined French and American carrier qualifications aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). This event marks the first integrated U.S. and French carrier qualifications aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is participating in Joint Task Force Exercise "Operation Brimstone" off the Atlantic coast until the end of July. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John M. Stratton)

Rafale M

A French F-2 Rafale fighter flies over the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) during combined French and American carrier qualifications. This event marks the first integrated U.S. and French carrier qualifications aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is participating in Joint Task Force Exercise "Operation Brimstone" off the Atlantic coast until the end of July. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John M. Stratton/Released)

Rafale M

A French F-2 Rafale fighter flies over the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) during combined French and American carrier qualifications. This event marks the first integrated U.S. and French carrier qualifications aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is participating in Joint Task Force Exercise "Operation Brimstone" off the Atlantic coast until the end of July. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John M. Stratton/Released)

Rafale M

A French F-2 Rafale fighter flies over the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) during combined French and American carrier qualifications. This event marks the first integrated U.S. and French carrier qualifications aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is participating in Joint Task Force Exercise "Operation Brimstone" off the Atlantic coast until the end of July. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John M. Stratton/Released)

Rafale M

Two French Rafale Jets perform launch and recovery operations from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes)

Rafale M

A French Navy Rafale jet launches from the flight deck of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during carrier launch and recovery qualifications. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes)

Rafale M

A French Navy Rafale jet approaches the flight deck as it prepares to execute a touch and go on the flight deck of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes)

Rafale M

A plane director assigned to Air Department's V-1 division guides a French Navy Rafale jet to one of the catapults on the flight deck aboard the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes)

Rafale M

A French Rafale M combat aircraft from the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle lands on the flight deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Enterprise and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 are currently underway on a scheduled six-month deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Octavio N. Ortiz)

Rafale M

A French Rafale M combat aircraft performs a catapult assisted launch from the flight deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). The two French Rafales are the first French aircraft to land and launch on an American carrier in six years. Enterprise and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 are currently underway on a scheduled six-month deployment. (U.S Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Brandon Morris)

Rafale M

A French Rafale M combat aircraft performs a catapult-assisted launch from the flight deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). The Rafale is the first French aircraft to both launch and recover on an American carrier. Enterprise and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 are currently underway on a scheduled six-month deployment. (U.S Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Brandon Morris)

Super Étendard

During a passing exercise with the French nuclear powered surface vessel, FS Charles de Gaulle (R-91),a Super Entendard aircraft performed a touch-and-go on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Reagan and embarked carrier Air wing One Four (CVW-14) are currently deployed as part of a routine rotation of U.S. maritime forces conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the region. (U.S. Navy Photo taken by Photographer's Mate Airman Kathleen Gorby)

Super Étendard

During a passing exercise with the French nuclear powered surface vessel, FS Charles de Gaulle (R-91), a Super Entendard aircraft performed a touch-and-go on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Reagan and embarked carrier Air wing One Four (CVW-14) are currently deployed as part of a routine rotation of U.S. maritime forces conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the region. (U.S. Navy Photo taken by Photographer's Mate Airman Kathleen Gorby)

Rafale M

A French Navy Rafale M multi-role combat fighter from the French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle performs a touch-and-go landing aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), during the Multi-National Maritime Exercise (MNME) 05-1. More than 17,000 Sailors from the U.S., Canada, France, Great Britain and Spain participated in the exercise. MNME 05-1 is an exercise focused on multi-national maritime interoperability capabilities in support of NATO Response Force (NRF). NRF combines elite land, air, sea, special operations, and mission specific units into a single force that can be deployed anywhere in the world in five days and sustain itself on a wide range of missions. NRF is scheduled to be fully in place by 2006. (U.S. Navy photo by Airman Peter Carnicelli)