A mid-sized carrier, "Charles de Gaulle" is smaller than American supercarriers but larger than similar ships operated or retired by Russia, India, and Brazil. "Charles de Gaulle" was constructed for the French Navy in Brest from 1980 to 2001, with the ship's completion being severely delayed by budget cuts and mechanical problems. After "Charles de Gaulle" was commissioned, the French government quickly deployed it to support the War in Afghanistan. The ship also saw active service in supporting NATO's military intervention in Libya (2011) and the International military intervention against ISIL (2015) before undergoing a nearly two-year refit.