FRANCE IS holding preliminary talks with several governments, including those of Argentina, China and India, about selling its ageing aircraft carrier, the Clemenceau, after it is withdrawn from French navy service.
The Clemenceau, is scheduled to be replaced by the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle, equipped with Dassault Rafale combat aircraft, in the year 2000.
India is thought to be the front-runner in bids for the 35-year-old, newly refitted, Clemenceau; although any purchase is likely to be politically and economically fraught.
India has purchased 40 Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000 fighters and is considering buying Dassault Rafale fighters and Alpha Jet trainers. The purchase of the Clemenceau could form part of a larger deal with France.
Russian fighter house MiG-MAPO also claims that India has shown interest in the carrier-borne variant of the MiG-29 Fulcrum: the MiG-29K. India is already a Fulcrum operator.
China, meanwhile, is reportedly planning to build two 48,000t conventional carriers, each capable of accommodating some 28 fighter aircraft, and may seek technical assistance from France.
Source: Flight International
