The French Navy's Fleet Support Service (SSF) signed off on the completion
of the intermediate refit of nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles
de Gaulle after six months’ work by DCNS. From hull to combat
system, without forgetting compliance tests to the latest environmental
standards, communications suite modernisation or the refurbishment of
the accommodation and recreation areas, the project involved some 950
people and 1 million person-hours’ work. |
Maintenance
and modernisation
In addition to scheduled maintenance, the refit was used to undertake
significant modernisation. The work was performed in the Vauban drydock
at the Toulon naval base. The ship was given a complete facelift that
included the repainting of a total area of 26,000 square metres and
the complete refurbishment of one of the main galleys. Other modernisation
work included the replacement of the stabilisation computer. The propulsion
system and other shipboard systems and equipment were inspected, overhauled
and tested to ensure optimal performance in operation. Some 35 kilometres
of cabling was also installed with a view to the later installation
of a state-of-the-art IP network.
CVN Charles de Gaulle underwent a thorough overhaul performed by teams
assembled by DCNS and its partners, supported day-to-day by the ship’s
crew.
Major contracting challenge, noteworthy team success
“Scheduled refits are essential to return a ship to ‘as
new’ condition. This six-month period of intense contract maintenance
and modernisation is over. Other teams will now resume shore-based day-to-day
monitoring of the ship’s systems and equipment,” said Franck
Bouffety, the Group’s Charles de Gaulle programme manager.
With over 1,000 tasks in progress each week, the Vauban drydock was
very busy indeed. Despite the huge number of jobs to be performed, everything
was completed on time. DCNS completed the 6,000 maintenance and modernisation
‘line tasks’ specified for this scheduled refit. In addition
to the ship’s crew, all available staff based at the Toulon naval
base were mobilised for the extended pit stop. Virtually every DCNS
centre contributed in one way or another. In all, the Group assigned
almost 500 employees to the project.
Technical data for intermediate refit
Number of people involved: 950
DCNS employees: 250
subcontractors’ employees: 200
crew: 500
number of subcontractors: 60
person-hours worked: 1 million
tasks in progress each week: 1,000
number of line tasks: 6,000
preparatory work for next refit: 20%
area painted: 26,000 sq.m
cabling installed: 35 km
Engine room tasks:
pipes cleaned and inspected: 25,000
new pipes installed: 6,000
CVN Charles de Gaulle at a glance
Commissioned: 18 May 2001 (12 years’ active service)
Crew: ˜ 2,000 men & women (women ˜ 15%)
Displacement, full load: ˜ 42,000 tonnes
Length overall: 261.50 m
Beam: 64.36 m
Height: 75 m (equivalent to a 20-storey building)
Average daily distance travelled: 1,000 km
Total distance travelled: 1 million km (˜ 23 circumnavigations)
Recent operations: Libya (operation Harmattan), Afghanistan.
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