France Starts Building Next-Generation Nuclear Carrier ‘France Libre’

Overview

• Construction has opened at Naval Group’s Indret site with the first elements of the two nuclear boiler units entering production, and hull shaping is slated to begin at Saint‑Nazaire in 2031.
• Key specifications include roughly 310 meters in length, about 78,000–80,000 tonnes displacement, two K22 reactors, three electromagnetic catapults, and capacity for around 30–40 aircraft including drones.
• Design allows simultaneous launch and recovery operations, aiming to boost sortie rates compared with current configurations.
• Sea trials are planned around 2036, with operational entry targeted for 2038 to take over from Charles de Gaulle on schedule.
• The program is budgeted at about €10 billion, mobilizing some 800 companies and up to 14,000 jobs, with officials noting reliance on General Atomics for the EM catapults and saying contingency options exist.