Porte-Avions de Nouvelle Génération

Context

The current French aircraft carrier, the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle, entered service on 18 May 2001. As the only aircraft carrier of the French Navy, the ship's maintenance periods leave France without an available aircraft carrier. As a result the PA2 project (French: Porte-Avions 2, "Aircraft Carrier 2") started in 2003 to study the feasibility of another carrier based on the design of the British Queen Elizabeth-class. The PA2 project was suspended in 2009 and ultimately cancelled in 2013.^[4][5]

In October 2018, French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly announced the start of a second carrier programme, this time as replacement for Charles de Gaulle. The military planning legislation for 2019–2025 (Loi de programmation militaire 2019–2025) defined a 18-month, €40M study phase, to allow the President to decide on the main characteristics of the programme by 2020.^[6] In May 2020, during a visit to Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Parly stated that the new carrier would be built in Saint-Nazaire—as expected, since it is the only dry dock in France capable of harbouring ships of that size.^[7]

Architecture, propulsion options and number of ships were originally to be decided by President Macron in July 2020, to allow him to make the announcement at Bastille Day.^[8] However, on 6 July 2020, a governmental reshuffle put the Castex government in charge, forcing to delay the Defence Council to later in the year.^[8]

During a visit to the Framatome site at Le Creusot on 8 December 2020, President Macron officially announced the start of the PANG programme, and selection of nuclear propulsion for the new ship.^[9][10][11]

In 2022, Naval Group released new renderings of the carrier that included a revised island structure.^[12][13][14]

On 18 March 2026, President Macron announced the name of the carrier as France Libre.^[15]

Design

The ship will be nuclear-powered and will feature the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG).^[16][13]

Construction

In May 2020, the defence minister, Florence Parly, stated that the PANG would be built in Saint-Nazaire at Chantiers de l'Atlantique.^[17]

On September 25, 2025, Naval Group's Cherbourg site begins manufacturing the first components for the PANG nuclear reactors.^[18][19] On December 21, in a speech to French forces in the United Arab Emirates, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the launch of construction of the PANG, which had been decided upon during a ministerial investment committee meeting.^[20]

Preliminary design work on new 220 MW K22 nuclear reactors to power the ship was completed in 2023. A production contract for the ship itself is anticipated in 2026 after final approval by the President, Emmanuel Macron, was announced on December 21, 2025.^{[21][22][23][24]} Hull construction is expected to begin in about 2031. Sea trials are projected to begin in around 2035.^[25][26][27] It is projected to enter service in about 2038.^[25]