French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Sunday that France will move ahead with the construction of a new aircraft carrier, formally triggering a long-planned replacement for the aging Charles de Gaulle.
Speaking to French troops stationed in Abu Dhabi, Macron said the decision to launch the programme had been taken this week following an internal review under France’s latest military programming laws. He framed the move as a response to what he described as an increasingly unstable international environment.
“In an age of predators, we must be strong in order to be feared, and especially strong at sea,” Macron said, presenting the carrier as a “display of our nation’s power.”
The new vessel is scheduled to enter service in 2038, replacing the Charles de Gaulle, which has been operational since 2001. At around 78,000 tonnes and 310 metres in length, it will be significantly larger than France’s current carrier, which displaces 42,000 tonnes and measures 261 metres.
Like its predecessor, the carrier will be nuclear-powered and equipped with Rafale M fighter jets. It is designed to host around 30 aircraft and accommodate approximately 2,000 sailors. The defence ministry said the ship would be capable of heavily armed, long-range deployments at short notice and for extended periods.
In 2023, the project was estimated to cost around €10 billion, according to Sébastien Lecornu, who was defence minister at the time and is now prime minister.
Macron said the programme would involve hundreds of suppliers, most of them small and medium-sized businesses, and pledged to personally oversee the commitment, announcing a visit to the shipyard scheduled for next February.
