Satellite Images: Misbar Tracks French Aircraft Carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Arabian Sea

Using satellite imagery captured on May 19, 2026, Misbar’s team at Alaraby TV identified a large maritime object off the southern coast of Oman at approximate coordinates 15.7082, 54.0185 in the Arabian Sea.

Based on the location, the general structure of the object visible in the imagery, its approximate dimensions and publicly announced French naval movements during May, the team concluded that the detected object strongly matches the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91).

The satellite image shows the vessel roughly 150 kilometers south of the Omani coastline. The visible wake trailing behind it also indicates the carrier was in motion when the satellite passed overhead at approximately 07:05 UTC. While the wake pattern alone is insufficient to determine the exact maneuver, it supports the assessment that the vessel was moving — and possibly turning — at the moment the image was captured.

What Do the Satellite Images Show?

Misbar identified the location of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Arabian Sea using imagery from the Sentinel-2 satellite system. The carrier appeared approximately 150 kilometers south of the Omani coast at coordinates 15.7082, 54.0185.

Satellite images captured on Tuesday, May 19, show the aircraft carrier moving through the waters of the Arabian Sea. Analysis of the wake pattern suggests the vessel was turning when the image was taken at 07:05 UTC.

Misbar compared the observed object with known structural characteristics of the French aircraft carrier, including its length, flight deck width and overall deck configuration.

Approximate measurements showed the visible object to be close to 261 meters in length and around 65 meters in width — dimensions that closely match published specifications for the Charles de Gaulle.

French Naval Movements

The satellite tracking aligns with an announcement issued by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces on May 6, 2026, stating that the French carrier strike group had crossed the Suez Canal toward the southern Red Sea as part of preparations linked to an international initiative aimed at securing navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Subsequent French statements also supported the carrier’s presence in the Arabian Sea region.

According to French officials, any operational deployment within this framework remains conditional on de-escalation efforts and the availability of political cover ensuring the mission does not evolve into a direct confrontation with Iran or the United States. French authorities stated that the mission’s declared objective remains limited to protecting freedom of navigation and commercial shipping convoys.

On May 8, 2026, satellite images had already shown the carrier in the Red Sea, approximately 1,310 kilometers from its last recorded position near the Suez Canal, consistent with its declared southbound route toward the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.

What Do We Know About the Carrier?

Charles de Gaulle is the only operational aircraft carrier in the French Navy and operates with nuclear propulsion.

The vessel measures approximately 261.5 meters in length and 64.36 meters at maximum width, with a top speed of around 27 knots.

Its flight deck is equipped with two catapults and an arresting-gear landing system, enabling operations of Rafale M fighter jets and E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft.

Published information regarding the current deployment indicates that the carrier is operating with around 20 Rafale M fighter jets and two Hawkeye aircraft onboard, while retaining the capacity to host a larger air wing depending on mission requirements.

The carrier’s offensive capabilities primarily depend on its air wing, while its onboard systems focus on air defense and close-range protection, including Aster 15 missiles and other defensive systems.

Since entering service in 2001, the Charles de Gaulle has been associated with most major international crises involving or closely monitored by France. Its operational footprint can be traced through French naval data, satellite imagery and specialized military reporting, from Afghanistan to the African Sahel and the Mediterranean Sea.

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