Paris, December 8 French President Macron announced on the 8th local time that France will build a new generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and replace the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in 2038.
Macron inspected the nuclear reactor manufacturer Famaton on the same day to elaborate on France’s latest nuclear policy. He said that France’s nuclear weapons and atomic energy industry is the “bedrock of strategic autonomy” of the country, and France’s strategic future and status as a great power depend on the level of the nuclear industry.
Macron said that the new generation of aircraft carriers will have the same nuclear power as the “De Gaulle” aircraft carrier. He said that Famatong’s factory has long produced the necessary parts for the navy, and many important parts of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in the future will also be produced by Famatong.
The French military initially considered building conventionally powered aircraft carriers, but Macron still chose to build nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. According to the analysis of French public opinion, although the construction cost of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers is relatively high, from the perspective of technology, strategy and climate change, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers still have advantages over conventional power aircraft carriers.
French officials revealed on the same day that the new aircraft carrier would be built by the French naval group, a French defense contractor. According to the technical data disclosed by the French naval group, the displacement of the new aircraft carrier reaches 75,000 tons and the total length is 300 meters. The relevant data exceed that of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier; it can accommodate about 2,000 sailors and carry 32 new generation fighters. The new aircraft carrier is also ready to adopt a number of advanced military technologies, which is expected to serve for 40 years.
The French military did not disclose the cost of building the new aircraft carrier, and French public opinion estimates that the construction of the new aircraft carrier may cost 5 billion to 7 billion euros.
France is currently the only nuclear power among EU countries because the United Kingdom has “Brexit”. Macron said that he would invest 500 million euros in the French nuclear industry and modernize it. At the same time, he also pledged to make progress in solving the nuclear waste problem. Macron said that nuclear power remains an important part of France’s energy supply, but France needs to do more to develop wind, solar and other renewable energy.
