When I was living out my early teen years in Dartmouth, my dad was stationed across the harbour at the naval base in Halifax. During that time, we had the opportunity to tour aboard a variety of naval vessels. Ships such as aircraft carriers, battleships, minesweepers, and frigates were some of the ones we visited, but the submarines were a bit too closed in for me, so one time aboard that boat was enough for me.
This French ship, the Mistral, an assault vessel and a type of helicopter carrier, was launched in 2004, certainly not around in my earlier years.