France Embarks on 15-Year Journey to Build Nuclear-Powered Carrier

France has approved the construction of a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Porte-Avions Nouvelle Génération (PANG), with a projected completion date of 2038. The program is expected to involve around 800 suppliers and will be significantly larger than the Charles de Gaulle, with a displacement of close to 80,000 tons. The new carrier will be equipped with US-developed electromagnetic aircraft launch systems and will serve as a long-term pillar of France’s power projection and maritime autonomy. The program was announced by President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to French forces deployed in Abu Dhabi, with construction expected to begin in the second half of the 2020s.