France confirms new carrier programme will proceed
Carrier to enter service in 2038 in multibillion-euro PANG project.
The PANG programme to build a new aircraft carrier for the French Navy was formally approved by President Emanuel Macron on 8 December.
Planned to enter service in 2038 as a replacement for Charles de Gaulle, the new nuclear-powered carrier is expected to cost more than €5 billion ($6.06 billion).
The vessel will be 300m long with a beam of 40m and displacement of 75,000t. It will accommodate 30 aircraft and a 2,000-strong crew.
Industry involvement in the PANG project comes from Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Dassault and Naval Group, whose chairman and CEO Pierre Eric Pommellet said: ‘This project will help develop jobs in the defence industrial and technological base and ensure the continuity of our skills in the current [COVID-19] health and economic crisis.’
Initial studies began in October 2018 on building a replacement for Charles de Gaulle but the green light from Macron was delayed this year by the COVID-19 crisis.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
PANG (Porte Avion Nouvelle Generation) [France]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
Shoreline vulnerability drives Gulf interest in USV networks
Ukraine’s combat-proven Magura uncrewed surface vessel is attracting Gulf state interest as the Iran war exposes gaps in layered maritime air defence, raising questions about whether low-cost attritable systems can gain a foothold in a procurement culture historically drawn to high-end Western platforms.
-
Sweden swayed by speed to capability in French frigate win
Naval Group has secured a contract to supply four Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention frigates to the Royal Swedish Navy, extending the French naval industry’s reach into Northern Europe and showing why speed to capability has become the defining criterion in today’s defence procurement contests.
-
SOF Week 2026: US NSW explores 3D-printed USVs for forward-deployed operations
US Naval Special Warfare Command is assessing the feasibility of rapidly producing expendable mid-sized USVs in theatre to support SOF and maritime security missions.
-
SOF Week 2026: MARSOC selects upgraded Shark Marine dive navigation system
MARSOC is procuring the Shark Marine Dive Tablet 2 to address a longstanding combat diver navigation capability gap, improving underwater positioning, situational awareness and integration with existing diver propulsion vehicles.
