Romain Rouillard 20:40 pm, April 03, 2023

In an interview with the "Parisian" this Sunday, Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the Armed Forces, unveiled the construction schedule of the brand new French aircraft carrier that will come into operation by 2038. A larger, more stable and overall much more efficient building than the Charles-de-Gaulle.

A monster of the seas weighing tens of thousands of tons, as large as three football fields, which will be able to accommodate nearly 2,000 sailors by 2038. In 2025, the titanic construction of the new French aircraft carrier will begin. The one who will have to retire the famous Charles-de-Gaulle, in office since the beginning of the century. An operation estimated at 10 billion euros that should offer the France a building capable of responding to the many military challenges that will arise in the decades to come.

"This new aircraft carrier will be a building of the 21st century while the Charles-de-Gaulle is a building of the 20th century," General Jérôme Pellistrandi, editor-in-chief of the review National Defense, told Europe 1. While stressing the effectiveness of the current French aircraft carrier - a "perfectly operational" tool - he listed the improvements that will board the new naval ship.

Large, stable, robust but also more comfortable

With first of all, a rather basic but oh so essential observation in this area: the new giant of the tricolor seas will be "bigger" than its predecessor with its 305 meters long and its total empty weight of 75,000 tons (against 42,000 for the Charles-de-Gaulle). "The bigger a boat is, the more stable it will be, especially when the sea is bad," Pellistrandi said.

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A larger size that will also facilitate the operations to be carried out inside the building. "An aircraft carrier is about twenty elevators. Some reserved for personnel, others for food and ammunition and not all have the same security features. Their modernization is easier on a larger aircraft carrier," notes Jérôme Pellistrandi. Its dimensions will also allow it to embark the new generation combat aircraft that will succeed the famous "Rafale" produced by the Dassault Aviation group. Finally, the habitability reserved for sailors will be considerably increased. "In the Charles-de-Gaulle, we had a habitability of the 80s. There, in the cabins of the crews, it will not be like on luxury liners but the comfort will be much higher, "notes General Pellistrandi.

On the purely military side, this new aircraft carrier will offer first-rate performance. It will be able to accommodate about thirty fighter planes but also accompanying drones. While demonstrating robustness at all times. "He will also know how to take the blows," promises Jerome Pellistrandi. Finally, the means of communication at his disposal will far exceed those currently equipping the Charles-de-Gaulle. "Clearly, it will be able to respond to the threats of 2030-2040," synthesizes the general.

Better lifespan

This new version of the French aircraft carrier will also have a better lifespan and should be able to sail the seas for 50 years, compared to 30 currently. Enough to do as well as its American counterparts. Like the Charles-de-Gaulle, it will also benefit from nuclear propulsion, the France being the only country, with the United States, to master this technology.

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In the opinion of a majority of specialists, acquiring this new aircraft carrier was essential. "It is a powerful political tool, capable of acting wherever the interests of the France are at stake," Pellistrandi said. As a reminder, France has the second largest maritime domain in the world behind the United States. A stake of power and military credibility to which it is now necessary to find a name. A responsibility that falls to Emmanuel Macron who will have to baptize this new flagship of French maritime know-how before the end of his five-year term.