The French president confirmed plans to build a new aircraft carrier to replace the Charles de Gaulle, which has been in service for more than 20 years, with an expected budget of about 10 billion euros.
On Sunday, 21 Dec 2025 GMT+7, Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, announced that his country will build a larger and more modern aircraft carrier to replace the aging Charles de Gaulle. This confirms a long-standing plan to strengthen the nation's maritime power.
The project, named Porte-Avions Nouvelle Génération (PANG) or New Generation Aircraft Carrier, is expected to cost 10.25 billion euros (around 377 billion baht). The French government stated the ship will enter service in 2038 (CE 2581), coinciding with the scheduled retirement of the Charles de Gaulle.
A French official revealed that work on the nuclear propulsion components began last year, while the final construction order must be included in the 2025 budget. Once completed, this ship will be the largest warship ever built in Europe.
Macron confirmed this decision during a speech to the French military stationed at a base in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, located near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transport route.
"The decision to launch this grand project was made this week," Macron said, adding that the project will help boost France's industrial base, especially small and medium-sized enterprises involved in defense manufacturing.
Catherine Vautrin, Minister of the Armed Forces, posted on the X platform that the new aircraft carrier will replace the Charles de Gaulle, which has been in service since 2001, after more than a decade of planning and construction.
The PANG project is a key part of France's nuclear deterrence strategy and Europe's push for greater defense autonomy, especially amid the context of the Russia-Ukraine war and concerns about a possible reduction in U.S. commitment to European security.
France, the only European Union state possessing nuclear weapons, is among the few European countries operating aircraft carriers, along with the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain. However, Europe's aircraft carrier capabilities remain limited compared to the U.S., which operates 11 carriers, and China, which has 3.
General Fabien Mandon, Chief of Staff, told parliament that France will purchase an electromagnetic aircraft launch system from the United States for the new carrier, citing budget and time constraints that prevent domestic production.
Although some centrist and center-left parliament members urged the government to consider delaying the project due to public financial pressures, Macron's statements signal the government's commitment to proceed with it.
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Source:cna