France plans to build a new aircraft carrier. President Emmanuel Macron has said France must be “strong enough to be feared” as the country seeks to establish itself as a maritime power.
The new carrier will replace the Charles de Gaulle, which is due to retire in 2038.
According to French media, the cost of the new-generation aircraft carrier is estimated at 10.25 billion euros. It is designed to carry up to 30 fighter jets and a crew of about 2,000. The ship will be 310 meters long and 85 meters wide, making it larger than the Charles de Gaulle.
France is the only country in the European Union that has nuclear weapons. As for aircraft carriers, the United Kingdom, Italy, Russia, and Turkey all have them in their European arsenals.
