La Francia costruirà una nuova grande portaerei nucleare

Major step for France a new nuclear carrier shows long-term commitment to naval power and strategic reach.

Interesting choice. Big warships spend a lot of time in port being maintained, repaired or upgraded (mid-life upgrades can take years).

France decided to go for one big (albeit nowhere near close to the US and Chinese super-carriers), nuclear carrier as opposed to the UK going with two medium-sized (albeit only slightly smaller) conventionally powered ones. As a result the French carrier’s range is close to infinite (limited only by other supplies carried like perishables and aviation fuel for its airwing), but there is only one single ship.

If a crisis develops in the Falklands or anywhere around the world and *Queen Elizabeth* is under maintenance, the UK can send *Prince of Wales*. If a crisis unfolds in French Guyana or New Caledonia and the French carrier is in port for upgrades or nuclear refuelling, tough luck. No ship available.

Seems a little short-sighted honestly.

Apparently, France has no doubt that it can carry out the FCAS program on its own.

France is doubling down on independent strategic power projection.

French aviators were trainedqualified on US ships during the French aircraft carriers refitt in 2017-18, the French don’t want to rely on the American next time.

Nothing that wasn’t already known if course, but it’s great that the project is going ahead, the French carrier is an extremely valuable capability, particularly given the strike potential of its air wing.

Bold move from my country at the age of drone saturation and hypersonic missiles, especially when our country is so vulnerable when it comes to land forces, military drone’s manufacturing capacity (almost 0) and nonexistent AA defenses, but hey, let’s build something which can be wiped out in minutes after the beginning of a war, sounds like a priority.

We already know this. The question is if they’d order a second one or not. My money is on not.