France plans to build a new aircraft carrier amid increased defense spending
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans to build a new aircraft carrier
PARIS — France will build a new aircraft carrier capable of deploying 30 fighter jets and carrying about 2,000 sailors, President Emmanuel Macron announced Sunday, calling the project a demonstration of national strength “in the service of freedom on the seas” amid growing global instability.
Speaking to French troops in Abu Dhabi, Macron said the decision followed an extensive review and aligns with France’s recent military planning laws. “In an age of predators, we must be strong in order to be feared, and especially strong at sea,” he said, confirming that authorization for the large-scale construction program was granted this week.
The new nuclear-powered carrier is scheduled to enter service in 2038, replacing the Charles de Gaulle, which has been in operation since 2001. The vessel will be significantly larger, with a displacement of about 78,000 tons and a length of 310 meters (1,017 feet), compared with the Charles de Gaulle’s 42,000 tons and 261 meters (856 feet).
Like its predecessor, the carrier will operate French Rafale M fighter jets and will be designed for rapid, long-range deployments and sustained operations in high-intensity combat environments, according to the French Defense Ministry.
Macron said the project would support hundreds of suppliers, primarily small and medium-sized businesses, and pledged personal oversight. He said he plans to visit the shipyard in February.
The cost of the new aircraft carrier was estimated at around 10 billion euros in 2023 by then-Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, now France’s prime minister.
The announcement comes as France ramps up military spending. Macron has pledged an additional 6.5 billion euros ($7.6 billion) in defense funding over the next two years and said the defense budget is set to reach 64 billion euros by 2027 — double the level when he took office in 2017.
France’s armed forces include roughly 200,000 active-duty personnel and more than 40,000 reservists, making it the European Union’s second-largest military after Poland. The government aims to expand the reserve force to 80,000 by 2030.
