[quote=Lost Cause]
Technically, they aren't even Aircraft Carriers. To get them past the Bureaucrats they were classified as "through-deck cruisers" instead.
[/quote]

Well, exactly. Just goes to show what kind of strange beasts they are really, and how defence politics are just so weird and full of back-talk and double-speak to get things done.
That said, they are impressive to see coming into the harbour (or were, anyway, when there was more than one), and while they aren't massive juggernauts of airpower, they've still done a good job when called on. 

[quote=Rafale]
I still think retiring the entire Harrier fleet just like that was a bad decision.Also, you wrote French aircraft carrier. As of right now, the Marine Nationale only has one aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, despite the official doctrine calling for two. The CDG is a mighty fine ship (perhaps the best in Western Europe), but I wonder if retiring/selling the Clémenceau class carriers was such a wise decision, considering how they were both adequate carriers. I hope the Foch (now called the Sao Paulo, in Brazilian service) gets used well, as it will always have a special place in my heart since my great uncle has loads of stories from when he served on it. I mean, the Clémenceaux were only built ten years before the Invincible classes, and the Illustrious is still used by the British... *grumble grumble, rant rant*
[/quote]

Couldn't agree more about the Harriers, and apparently the general opinion of the public is the same, as is that of the soldiers who'd served with the Harriers. It was a hugely unpopular decision, but one everyone was force to live with, sadly. At least they went to the USMC, rather than just to be scrapped or rot away somewhere. It's a shame that they'll be used for parts, but at least they're doing some good.

I didn't realise that about the French carrier, so apologies for the mistake there. I've always through the CDG was impressive as well. 
I hope the Sao Paolo, as she's now named, is well looked after too. I've read she's been equipped with Skyhawks, which I approve of as I love the A-4. I hope that the Brazilian Navy gets a lot of use out of her, and that she does a lot of good in her role there, as she did with the Marine Nationale.

[quote=The Mage]
you guys get REALLY upset when it comes to Ships....
[/quote]
Ships cost a lot of money, and ship building and maintenance create masses of jobs for people - it can be pretty important to some regions economies, let alone for the political message an aircraft-carrying ship turn up on someone's doorstep can send. The UK and France also still have a lot of overseas dependencies as well, and have both historically had strong naval traditions (frequently in fighting each other xD)

Also, y'know. Ships are pretty cool.