Overview
- France moved the PA‑NG program into the realization phase this week, allowing the state to sign the contracts required to begin industrial execution.
- The carrier is planned at roughly 78–80,000 tonnes and 310 meters with nuclear propulsion, a crew of about 2,000, capacity for around 30 combat aircraft, EMALS catapults, and operations with Rafale F5 and multiple drone types.
- The program is estimated at about €10–10.2 billion and involves sites at Saint‑Nazaire, Cherbourg, Nantes and Cadarache, with key roles for TechnicAtome and the CEA.
- Macron said he will visit the construction site in February, with steel cutting targeted around 2031 and an in‑service date set for 2038.
- Officials acknowledge fiscal and strategic risks, and a 2029 study will assess whether the Charles de Gaulle—available about 65% of the time—can be extended to prevent any carrier gap.