Paris, — A French parliamentary report is urging the government to order a second next-generation aircraft carrier by 2029 to maintain continuous carrier availability and strengthen the French Navy's maritime capabilities.
Authored by Yannick Chenevard, a rapporteur for the National Defense and Armed Forces Committee, the report warns that France's reliance on a single aircraft carrier leaves the navy without a sovereign carrier strike capability during maintenance periods.
France currently operates the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle, which is scheduled to retire around 2038 when the new France Libre carrier is expected to enter service. Both ships are planned to operate between 2035 and 2038 to support crew training and the transition to the new vessel.
Extending Charles de Gaulle's Service Life Considered Unviable
The report examined extending the Charles de Gaulle's service beyond 2038 but identified significant technical and financial challenges.
A fourth major refit, including nuclear core refueling, would cost approximately €2 billion for only a few additional years of service. Decades of neutron flux have permanently affected the reactor vessels, while inspecting the lowest sections of the hull for corrosion presents major engineering difficulties.
A formal government assessment is expected after the carrier's 2028 refit, although lawmakers already favor replacing the ship rather than extending its service life.
Second Carrier Could Cost 30 Percent Less
Chenevard argues that building a direct sister ship to the France Libre would offer financial and industrial advantages. The second carrier is expected to cost approximately 30 percent less because research and development expenses have already been covered by the first ship.
The report identifies 2029 as the ideal year to place the order, allowing the two carriers to operate on offset maintenance schedules.
Building the second vessel immediately after the first at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire would maximize economies of scale. Delays could allow civilian cruise ship construction to occupy the production line, reducing the expected savings.
A second dry dock would not be required, while a second berth in Toulon could be constructed at relatively low cost alongside ongoing port modernization work.
Second Carrier Would Not Require a Duplicate Escort Fleet
The report rejects the argument that a second carrier would require an entirely separate escort fleet. Maintaining continuous availability would involve deploying one carrier while the other undergoes maintenance or training, rather than operating two strike groups simultaneously.
The French Navy would need approximately 12 additional Rafale M fighters and two E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes. Aircraft and pilots could rotate between the two flight decks.
Escort duties could be managed through dual crewing of air defense frigates, a method already used with the FREMM frigate fleet. However, lawmakers stress that maintaining a surface fleet of 18 first-rank frigates remains important for long-term naval sustainability.
France Libre Carrier Capabilities
President Emmanuel Macron approved the next-generation aircraft carrier program in December 2025 and named the vessel France Libre in March 2026, honoring the Free France movement led by Charles de Gaulle during World War II.
Developed under the PANG (Porte-Avions de Nouvelle Génération) program, the carrier will be built through an industrial partnership involving Naval Group, Chantiers de l'Atlantique, and TechnicAtome.
The France Libre will displace approximately 80,000 tonnes, compared with 42,000 tonnes for the Charles de Gaulle. It will measure 310 meters in length and 90 meters in beam.
Propulsion will come from two TechnicAtome K-22 pressurized water reactors, each generating approximately 220 megawatts of thermal power. The system is designed to provide virtually unlimited range and a maximum speed of 27 knots (50 km/h). The ship will accommodate approximately 2,000 personnel, including its air wing.
Its 17,200-square-meter angled flight deck will feature the U.S.-designed Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) supplied by General Atomics. These systems will enable simultaneous aircraft launch and recovery operations, a capability not available on the Charles de Gaulle. During high-intensity operations, the carrier is expected to generate approximately 60 sorties per day.
The air wing will include around 30 Dassault Rafale M F5 fighters, three E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes, and up to six NH90 Caïman helicopters. The design will also support future integration of unmanned combat aerial vehicles and a next-generation fighter.
Hull assembly is scheduled to begin in Saint-Nazaire in 2032, with sea trials expected around 2035 and commissioning planned for 2038. The lead France Libre program is estimated to cost €10 billion.
The parliamentary report presents a second carrier as a way to maintain continuous French carrier availability while making use of the industrial and financial advantages of the existing France Libre program.
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