Unveiling the Next-Generation Seaborne Aircraft Carrier Set to Succeed Charles de Gaulle: A Sneak Peek

“From 2038, it will succeed Charles de Gaulle. A larger, more powerful, nuclear-powered vehicle will allow the French navy to maintain its ability to design air and naval forces, adapting to the challenges ahead. Travel to the future to discover PA-Ng!” the publication on Twitter said.

According to information shared by the French Navy, the new aircraft carrier PA-Ng will have a length of 305 meters and a displacement of 75,000 tons. It will include two K22 nuclear reactors, a mission system, a surveillance radar, and an EMALS (electromagnetic aircraft launch system) take-off system. The new French aircraft carrier will be able to carry up to 30 new generations of NGF (New Generation Fighter) fighters.

Minister of Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu, flanked by Emmanuel Chiva, director of the DGA on his right, and Pierre-Eric Pommelet, CEO of Naval Group, on his left, listening to Admiral Pierre Vandier, the French Navy Chief of Staff, discussing the PA-Ng design.

Earlier at the end of April last year, a French delegation visited the American aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford, which was then undergoing tests and trials. This visit allowed the French delegation to monitor the operation of electromagnetic catapults and advanced equipment, to refine the design of their next-generation aircraft carrier.

In a press release from the US Navy, it was mentioned that this French delegation, led by General Armament Engineer Nicolas Hue and Vice Admiral Eric Marburger, in charge of plans and programs at the headquarters of the French National Navy, managed to monitor the operation of electromagnetic catapults and advanced equipment to refine the design of their next-generation aircraft carrier.

“This visit was particularly useful for the future of naval aviation because it allowed [our French allies] to gain firsthand experience with our systems and talk to our technicians,” said Captain Paul Lanciotti.

The visit to the USS Gerald Ford allowed DGA to see the integration of EMALS and AAG into a new aircraft carrier design and prepare for the integration of the next E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.

The US Navy said the French delegation was aware of “23 new technologies,” some of which have led to difficulties in their development. This is also the case with electromagnetic catapults and the AAG system.

At the end of the last year, the Biden administration approved the sale of an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) worth more than $1.32 billion for France’s future aircraft carrier, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). The deal will proceed through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route, as reported by Naval News.