French Navy executes first triple E-2C Hawkeye launch to secure airspace around Charles de Gaulle carrier.

On March 12, 2026, the French Navy conducted the first sequential catapult launch of three E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. The E-2Cs from Flottille 4F formed a single formation flight after launch to support persistent radar surveillance and airspace coordination for the French carrier strike group amid redeployment to the eastern Mediterranean.

To learn more about the Charles de Gaulle deployment in the Mediterranean: France redeploys Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group to Middle East as US-Iran war expands

Three E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were catapulted sequentially from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle during operations in the eastern Mediterranean. (Picture source: French Navy)

On March 12, 2026, the French Navy conducted a coordinated launch of three E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, with the three aircraft catapulted in rapid succession from the flight deck before forming up in a single formation flight. The aircraft belonged to Flottille 4F, the French naval aviation unit responsible for airborne early warning operations from the carrier. The maneuver was carried out during a rotation of one aircraft intended to maintain uninterrupted airborne surveillance coverage for the carrier strike group. The simultaneous launch represented the first instance in which three Hawkeye aircraft were catapulted in such sequence from the French carrier.

The operation required synchronized catapult sequencing, deck positioning, and rapid runway clearance procedures to enable safe launch spacing between aircraft. The event took place while the carrier strike group was operating in the eastern Mediterranean during the regional military escalation linked to the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. The triple launch occurred during the displacement of the Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean following a redeployment ordered in early March 2026. President Emmanuel Macron directed the carrier and its escort ships to move toward the Mediterranean after the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran expanded across several theaters.

The carrier strike group had previously been operating in northern European waters during multinational exercises linked to the ORION 26 exercise cycle. The vessel had transited the Strait of Dover and entered the Baltic Sea before conducting port visits and training activities with allied forces. A port call took place in Malmö, Sweden, before the ship received new orders redirecting the group toward the Mediterranean. The redeployment required the interruption of the carrier’s participation in multinational training activities in northern Europe, as well as the passage through the North Sea, the English Channel, the Bay of Biscay, and into the Mediterranean Sea. The French carrier strike group normally includes an air defense frigate, two multi-mission frigates, a fleet replenishment tanker, and potentially a nuclear-powered attack submarine providing underwater surveillance and protection.

The French naval redeployment also includes additional frigates operating between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea as part of maritime security operations protecting commercial shipping. One French air defense frigate had already been deployed between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden as part of a European maritime security mission. Another multi-mission frigate had been operating in the Persian Gulf, where it monitored maritime traffic and regional military activity. Additional ships, including the amphibious helicopter carrier Dixmude and the frigate Aconit, were operating in the Red Sea after transiting the Suez Canal on February 24 and conducting exercises with Egyptian naval forces. 

France currently operates three E-2C Hawkeye aircraft through Flottille 4F, which deploys aboard the Charles de Gaulle during carrier strike group missions. These aircraft provide the main airborne surveillance capability of the French naval aviation force. The aircraft operate at extended distances from the fleet to detect aerial or missile threats before they approach the formation. Their mission includes early detection of hostile aircraft, coordination of combat air patrols, and control of strike aircraft launched from the carrier. The Hawkeye aircraft also relays communication between aircraft and ships through data links and satellite communications systems. Their sensors contribute to a real-time operational picture that integrates radar data, aircraft positions, and maritime surveillance information.

This operational function enables the carrier strike group to conduct air defense, strike coordination, and surveillance operations across a wide maritime area. The E-2C Hawkeye is an airborne early warning and command aircraft developed for aircraft carrier operations and introduced by Grumman, now part of Northrop Grumman, in January 1964. The aircraft measures 17.56 meters in length with a wingspan of 24.58 meters and a height of 5.58 meters, with a maximum takeoff weight of 23,391 kilograms. Two Allison T56 turboprop engines, each producing about 5,100 horsepower, allow a maximum speed of about 604 kilometers per hour and an operational ceiling of about 9,390 meters. The E-2C is operated by a crew of five consisting of two pilots in the cockpit and three mission operators positioned in the rear fuselage beneath the radar dome.

The most distinctive structural feature is the rotating radar dome mounted above the fuselage, measuring about 7.3 meters in diameter and housing the primary surveillance radar and identification systems. The aircraft uses a retractable tricycle landing gear configuration and includes a tail hook for arrested landings on aircraft carriers, together with reinforced nose gear designed for catapult launches. The wings incorporate a folding mechanism that allows the aircraft to be stored in the confined hangar spaces of aircraft carriers. The E-2C variant introduced major improvements compared with earlier E-2A and E-2B versions, including the AN/APS-145 radar used in later production aircraft.

This radar system can detect and track aerial targets at distances approaching 500 kilometers, depending on altitude and radar cross section, while also providing maritime surveillance capability against surface vessels. Mission operators manage radar tracking, identification of aircraft through identification friend or foe systems, and tactical coordination of intercept missions. The aircraft integrates several tactical data links, including Link 11, Link 16, and Link 22, which allow the exchange of radar data and command information with ships and combat aircraft operating within the same network. Mission computers process radar returns and maintain a continuous track file of detected targets while providing situational awareness to carrier strike group command centers.

Later modernization programs introduced the NP2000 eight-bladed propeller system, which replaced the original four-bladed propellers in order to reduce vibration and simplify maintenance. The aircraft can remain on station for several hours, depending on mission profile and fuel load, while directing combat air patrols, coordinating strike aircraft, and maintaining airspace control for the carrier air wing. Therefore, the E-2C Hawkeye operates as the airborne early warning and command aircraft of the French carrier strike group and provides radar coverage that extends several hundred kilometers beyond the ship’s sensors. The aircraft carries a rotating radar dome above the fuselage that houses long-range radar systems designed to detect aircraft, missiles, and surface vessels.

Hawkeye aircraft typically maintain patrol orbits at a significant distance from the fleet to increase detection range and maintain continuous surveillance. Each aircraft operates with a crew responsible for monitoring airspace activity, coordinating combat aircraft, and transmitting tactical data to the carrier and escort vessels. The aircraft can direct intercept missions for Rafale M fighters operating from the carrier air wing. They also manage airspace deconfliction between friendly aircraft while maintaining a continuous operational picture of the surrounding theater. This role allows the aircraft to function as the airborne command and coordination node of the carrier strike group. 

Several European countries also deployed additional military assets to Cyprus after an Iranian-made drone struck the British Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri. Spain dispatched the Álvaro de Bazán class frigate Cristóbal Colón, which had previously participated in NATO exercises alongside the Charles de Gaulle in northern European waters. Greece deployed two frigates, Kimon and Psara, together with four F-16 fighter aircraft, to reinforce the defense posture around Cyprus. The Netherlands announced the deployment of the air defense and command frigate HNLMS Evertsen to the same region. Italy also confirmed that it would send naval assets to Cyprus as part of the broader European naval response. These deployments were intended to reinforce regional security and increase maritime surveillance around the eastern Mediterranean sea lanes.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.