A French parliamentary report urges ordering a second next-generation aircraft carrier by 2029 to ensure a permanent Carrier Strike Group presence at sea.
French lawmakers are pressing the government to seize a historic opportunity and order a second next-generation aircraft carrier. Doing so would ensure a permanent Carrier Strike Group presence at sea. A newly published parliamentary report argues that a sister ship to the upcoming France Libre must be ordered by 2029 to meet escalating global security threats and cement the French Navy’s status as the leading maritime force in Europe.
Authored by lawmaker Yannick Chenevard, the text serves as an official advisory report for the National Defense and Armed Forces Committee. Under the French legislative system, a rapporteur is specifically appointed to investigate and draft formal opinions on complex budgetary or military matters. Although the strong push for a second hull stems directly from Chenevard’s own strategic conclusions following a series of industry hearings, his recommendations are formally submitted on behalf of the broader defense committee to help shape upcoming naval procurement decisions.
Currently, the Marine Nationale relies solely on the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle. Because of routine and major maintenance cycles, France regularly faces periods without a sovereign carrier strike capability. The Charles de Gaulle will retire around 2038 when the new France Libre enters active service. Between 2035 and 2038, the navy will actually operate both vessels to facilitate crew transfer and training.
Dismissing the Life Extension Option
Lawmakers looked into keeping the current carrier operational past 2038 to solve the availability gap. However, the report highlights massive technical hurdles. Decades of neutron flux have permanently altered the nuclear reactor vessels. Inspecting the lowest sections of the hull for corrosion presents major engineering challenges as well.
Extending the ship’s life would require a fourth major technical refit, including refueling the nuclear cores, at a staggering cost of two billion euros for just a few extra years of service. A formal government assessment on this option is due after the ship’s 2028 refit, but the parliamentary consensus is already leaning heavily against it.
The Sister Ship Solution
Chenevard makes a firm case for building a direct sister ship to the France Libre. Doing so offers massive industrial and financial benefits. A second hull would cost roughly 30 percent less than the lead ship since research and development expenses are already covered. Building it immediately after the France Libre at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire would maximize economies of scale. Inserting civilian cruise ships into the production line would erase these savings.
To ensure the two carriers operate on offset maintenance schedules, the report suggests 2029 as the ideal time to place the order. Additionally, infrastructure costs remain low because a second dry dock is unnecessary. A second berth in Toulon can be built cheaply as part of ongoing port upgrades.
Rethinking the Double Fleet Myth
Critics frequently argue that a second carrier requires duplicating the entire escort fleet, including frigates, submarines, and supply vessels. The report thoroughly debunks this assumption. Maintaining continuous readiness simply means one carrier is deployed or ready while the other is in maintenance or conducting training. It does not mandate two simultaneous strike groups.
From a hardware perspective, the French Navy would “only” need to acquire 12 additional Rafale M fighters and two more E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes. Pilots and aircraft can easily rotate between flight decks. Escort duties can be managed without buying new ships by implementing dual crewing on air defense frigates, a strategy already proven successful on the FREMM fleet. Still, lawmakers emphasize that expanding the overall surface fleet to 18 first-rank frigates remains essential for long-term sustainability.
About France Libre aircraft carrier
Named by President Emmanuel Macron in March 2026 to honor the Free France resistance movement, the France Libre represents a massive leap in capability for the Marine Nationale. The vessel was previously developed under the PANG program. The 80,000-tonne ship measures 310 meters in length and 90 meters at the beam, entirely dwarfing the older 42,000-tonne Charles de Gaulle. Naval Group, Chantiers de l’Atlantique, and TechnicAtome are spearheading the joint industrial effort.
Two TechnicAtome K-22 pressurized water reactors provide propulsion. These reactors grant the ship virtually unlimited range and a top speed of 27 knots. The carrier will feature a 17,200 square meter angled flight deck equipped with the US-designed Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) supplied by General Atomics. This configuration allows for simultaneous launch and recovery operations, a critical capability missing from the current French carrier. High-intensity combat operations are expected to yield around 60 daily sorties.
The air wing will consist of roughly 30 combat aircraft, initially centered on the Dassault Rafale M F5, supported by three E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes and up to six NH90 Caïman helicopters. Looking to the future, the ship is designed to integrate unmanned combat aerial vehicles and a “Next Generation Fighter”. Hull assembly begins in 2032 in Saint-Nazaire, with commissioning scheduled for 2038. The total program cost is estimated at 10 billion euros.
