Overview
- President Emmanuel Macron announced the go‑ahead to troops in Abu Dhabi, confirming the PA‑Ng has moved from design to the realization phase.
- Current planning sets assembly at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in 2032, transfer to Toulon in mid‑2035, sea trials in 2036, and entry into service in 2038 to replace Charles de Gaulle.
- The carrier is designed at about 78,000 tonnes and 310 meters with a 17,200 m² flight deck, making it the largest warship yet built in Europe.
- Propulsion will use two K‑22 nuclear reactors provided by TechnicAtome under CEA oversight with ship‑wide electrification to power modern systems.
- Key launch and recovery gear will come from U.S. firm General Atomics (EMALS/AAG), the air wing is sized for roughly 30 fighters plus E‑2D, helicopters and UAVs, and the program is estimated at about €10–10.25 billion involving around 800 suppliers, most of them SMEs.