France to Build New Aircraft Carrier

Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron.

French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed on Sunday that France will proceed with plans to build a new, larger and more advanced aircraft carrier to replace the ageing Charles de Gaulle, strengthening the country’s role as a major maritime power.

Speaking to French troops stationed at a military base in Abu Dhabi, near the Strait of Hormuz—a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments—President Macron announced that the decision to launch the ambitious programme had been formally approved this week.

“The decision to initiate this major programme was taken this week,” Macron said, noting that the project would also provide a significant boost to France’s industrial sector, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.

France’s Minister for the Armed Forces, Catherine Vautrin, stated on X that the new aircraft carrier is expected to enter service in 2038, coinciding with the planned retirement of the Charles de Gaulle. The current carrier entered service in 2001, approximately 15 years after it was first commissioned.

The announcement comes amid domestic debate, with some lawmakers from the political centre and moderate left calling for the project to be delayed due to pressures on France’s public finances.

Despite these concerns, France remains one of Europe’s leading military powers and is among the world’s five officially recognised nuclear-armed states.

Source: Reuters


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