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French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that France’s next-generation aircraft carrier program has entered the realization phase, formally clearing the way for construction of the vessel that will replace the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle by 2038.

Speaking to French troops stationed in Abu Dhabi, Macron said the decision to proceed had been taken this week following extensive reviews under successive military planning laws.

“In this age of predators, we must be strong to be feared. And in particular, strong at sea! That is why, in accordance with the last two military planning laws, and after a thorough and careful review, I have decided to equip France with a new aircraft carrier. The decision to launch the realization of this major program was made this week,” he said.

Macron emphasized the strategic and industrial significance of the program, noting its expected impact across France’s defense and manufacturing base.

“Madam Minister of the Armed Forces, please accept my sincere thanks for the high-quality work carried out with the General Staffs, the DGA, the CEA, and industry partners. This project will directly benefit our economy and the 800 suppliers involved, 80% of whom are SMEs. I will personally guarantee this commitment to our businesses by visiting the shipyard next February to meet with them,” he added.

He described the future carrier as a symbol of national power rooted in advanced industry and technology.

“This new aircraft carrier will be a testament to our nation’s power, a power of industry and technology. Power at the service of freedom on the high seas. And in the turbulent waters of time.”

Commissioning Target 2038

The French Minister of the Armed Forces, who was present alongside the president in Abu Dhabi, confirmed that the ministry is formally launching construction of the new carrier, known as the Porte-Avions Nouvelle Generation (PANG).

“As announced by the President of the Republic, the Ministry of the Armed Forces is launching the construction of the new-generation aircraft carrier (PANG). Future cornerstone of our armed forces, it will ensure power projection from the high seas, with commissioning scheduled for 2038,” the minister said.

The announcement brings forward a political decision that had been widely anticipated within the French Navy and defense industry. A formal go or no-go decision to proceed to production had previously been expected by the end of 2025.

The PA-Ng program was approved to enter a two-phase design and development process in December 2020. Since then, France’s defense procurement agency, the Direction Générale de l’armement (DGA), and industrial prime contractor MO Porte-Avions, a joint venture between Naval Group and Chantiers de l’Atlantique, have carried out preliminary and system-level design work to mature the ship’s concept ahead of construction approval.

Responsibility for the nuclear propulsion system rests separately with TechnicAtome, under contract to the Commissariat à l’énergie atomique, which is designing and delivering the nuclear plant. The carrier will be powered by two K-22 pressurized water reactors.

Thibault Lavernhe, program officer for the Marine Nationale, previously described 2025 as a decisive year for the project. Speaking during the Combined Naval Event in May 2025, he said, “2025 is a major milestone for the program. The Ministry of Defense will decide by the end of the year to launch the realization of the program.”

“Today, the ship is designed on paper. We know what we want from the French Navy; it is now just a matter of a political decision to step forward,” he added at the time. That political decision has now been taken.

Design Features and Size

Design and development activity completed over the past four years has resulted in a significantly larger vessel than the Charles de Gaulle. The PA-Ng is expected to displace around 78,000 tons, with an overall length of 310 meters and a beam of approximately 90 meters.

The ship will feature a 17,200 square meter flight deck, the configuration of which has been driven by the requirements of the embarked air group. The design includes a fully electrified power architecture, a single integrated island superstructure, and advanced launch and recovery systems.

Key features include a three-track Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), a three-wire Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) recovery system, two hangars, and two deck-edge aircraft elevators offset to starboard. Each elevator will have a lift capacity of 40 tons, enabling the movement of large, next-generation aircraft.

Tailored for Future Combat

According to Captain Lavernhe, the PANG has been designed to operate a flexible and evolving air wing capable of adapting to future combat aviation developments.

The carrier is tailored for an embarked air group of 30 fighters or unmanned combat air vehicles, supported by three E-2D Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft and five to six helicopters. The French Navy has already mapped out a broad plan for the evolution of this air wing, acknowledging that next-generation crewed and uncrewed combat systems are still under development.

Current expectations are that the PANG will enter service equipped with the Rafale M fighter at the F5 standard, the E-2D Hawkeye, and various unmanned air vehicles. It is anticipated that a carrier-capable unmanned combat air vehicle will begin augmenting the air group from around 2040.

This approach is intended to ensure that the carrier remains operationally relevant over several decades, particularly as naval aviation increasingly incorporates autonomous and optionally crewed platforms.

Construction Timeline

Under current plans, assembly of the PANG will begin at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire in 2032. The hull will then be transferred to Toulon in mid-2035 for final outfitting and nuclear fueling.

Sea trials are expected to begin in 2036, paving the way for commissioning in 2038, when the ship will replace the Charles de Gaulle as France’s sole aircraft carrier.

Even before the formal green light to proceed with full construction, the DGA moved to secure key components. In April 2024, it placed orders worth 600 million euros for critical-path equipment and structures from MO Porte-Avions and TechnicAtome.

These long-lead items include reactor components, containment vessels, and elements of the secondary steam plant, reflecting the complexity and long timelines associated with nuclear-powered warships.

Strategic Implications

The PA-Ng program is projected to cost around 10.25 billion euros, equivalent to roughly $12 billion, making it one of the most expensive defense projects in modern French history. President Macron confirmed on Sunday that the new carrier will be larger and more modern than the ageing Charles de Gaulle, and central to strengthening France’s maritime power.

For Paris, the program underpins its ambition to maintain a credible, independent power-projection capability, including the ability to deploy air power globally without reliance on allied carriers. It also reinforces France’s position as Europe’s only operator of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

Beyond its military role, the PANG is expected to sustain high-end industrial skills across France’s naval, nuclear, and aerospace sectors for decades, involving hundreds of suppliers and thousands of jobs.

With the political decision now taken, France’s next-generation aircraft carrier has moved from concept to commitment, setting the course for a new era of French naval aviation from 2038 onward.