France is set to begin construction of a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday.
"In times of aggression, we must be strong to be feared. I have decided to equip France with a new aircraft carrier," Macron was quoted as saying by French media at a Christmas event at a French military base in the United Arab Emirates.
With a displacement of around 80,000 tons, the carrier will be almost twice as heavy as its predecessor, the Charles de Gaulle.
At 310 metres long and 85 metres wide, it is designed to accommodate 30 fighter jets and 2,000 crew members.
Construction is estimated to cost up to €10 million ($11.7 million). The carrier is expected to be operational from 2038, Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin said on X.
France is the only country besides the US that owns a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The Charles de Gaulle was commissioned in 2001.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Tributes pour in for MIT professor Nuno Loureiro amid unresolved shooting case - 2Hostages as leverage: Iran's secret demand aimed at crippling Israel's agriculture
- 3Grammy nominations 2026: Full list of nominees in every major category, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist
- 4Self-sacrificing ants highlight the unity of their colony, say researchers
- 5Top Music and Dance Celebration: Which One Gets You Going?
- China's 1st reusable rocket explodes in dramatic fireball during landing after reaching orbit on debut flight
- Vote In favor of Your #1 Method for diminishing Pressure
- Top Pastry: What's Your Sweet Treat of Decision?
- Figure out How to Pick a Crematorium: Key Contemplations.
- SpaceX launches Starlink missions in dual-coast spaceflight doubleheader (videos)
- Exploring the Gig Economy: Examples from Consultants
- Vote In favor of Your Favored Web-based Visual depiction Administration
- Figure out What Shift Differentials Mean for Your General Attendant Compensation
- Becoming the best at Discussion: Individual Procedures
