The Charles de Gaulle is Europe’s only operational aircraft carrier and one of the most complex war machines ever built. For several months, we were granted rare access on board to follow the men and women who keep it combat-ready.
It’s 260 metres long, 25 stories high and the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside the US fleet. Capable of carrying over a thousand crew and thirty fighter jets that can strike targets more than a thousand kilometers away, it is the crown jewel of the French navy.
At the heart of it all are the naval aviators. Among the most elite pilots in the world, they are selected through one of the most grueling training programs in existence: from the first physical trials to night landings on a moving deck, with a margin of error measured in meters.
What does it actually take to land a fighter jet on a floating runway, in the dark, in any weather? What missions are these pilots preparing for in the Middle East? A rare and immersive portrait of the French navy’s flagship.