Overview
- President Emmanuel Macron announced the launch of the PANG in Abu Dhabi, saying construction was approved this week with entry into service targeted for 2038 to succeed Charles de Gaulle.
- The carrier will be nuclear-powered, about 310 meters long and 78,000–80,000 tonnes, with capacity for roughly 30 combat aircraft and 2,000 sailors, and France plans to use U.S.-made electromagnetic catapults.
- The government pegs the program’s cost at about €10.25 billion, with the final order to be booked against the 2025 budget, and propulsion component work already underway since last year.
- Officials say the program will mobilize roughly 800 suppliers, about 80% of them small and medium-sized enterprises, reflecting a broad industrial push.
- The launch comes with public finances under strain and calls from some lawmakers to delay the project, as Macron also pledged an extra €6.5 billion in defense outlays over two years and set a €64 billion target for 2027.