France’s new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier will be named France Libre and construction work on her hull is expected to commence in 2031.
The name of the 310-metre warship, set to be powered by two nuclear reactors, mirrors that of France’s WW2 government in exile and resistance movement. It translates as “Free France” and was announced by President Emmanuel Macron during last week’s official launch ceremony.
The €10 billion, 80,000-tonne vessel will be built by MO Porte-Avions, a joint venture between Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Naval Group, with the ship’s nuclear reactors being provided by TechnicAtome.
If the construction programme remains on schedule, launch and final outfitting will happen in 2035, sea trials will commence in 2036, and the new carrier will be commissioned into active service during 2038.
Expanding on the choice of name, President Macron remarked: “I wished to place our future aircraft carrier in the lineage of General de Gaulle… For him, and for us, the French spirit… is a spirit of resistance. It is a will that nothing can stop.
“A will to resist in order to remain free. This will to remain free is the will for independence at all costs; for total, unconstrained autonomy of action; for the projection of our forces wherever the defence of France’s interests demands it, anywhere in the world.”
Naval Group CEO Pierre Eric Pommellet said: “The launch of this project marks a new stage for this ambitious program, a true strategic instrument for projecting French power and sovereignty, and for its nuclear deterrent.”
He added: “It represents an unprecedented industrial challenge due to the extraordinary scale of the components and the technological leap it embodies. We will meet this challenge collectively with our teams, our partners, and the entire French industry, thanks to our productivity and complementary expertise.”
A Chantiers de l’Atlantique statement noted: “Our teams and industrial facilities are preparing to welcome this outstanding project. It builds on our expertise in the design and construction of very large and complex platforms serving maritime and sovereignty challenges.
“From 2031, its exceptional silhouette will progressively take shape in our workshops and dry docks in Saint-Nazaire.”
- You can read more details on the social media pages of Naval Group’s CEO and Chantiers de l’Atlantique