PARIS — France is exploring whether its nuclear-powered carrier Charles de Gaulle could remain in service past its scheduled retirement in 2038, Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Christophe Cluzel told members of parliament during a hearing on Wednesday.
The French Navy intends to replace the Charles de Gaulle with a next-generation carrier, to be named France Libre, in 2038. As part of a major upcoming mid-life overhaul, authorities will assess whether the current carrier’s onboard systems and its nuclear propulsion could support an extended period of operations, Cluzel said.
Because the Charles de Gaulle is the country’s only operational carrier, France has no carrier at sea whenever it is tied up for routine maintenance — a vulnerability that routinely prompts lawmakers to question naval leadership about the need for a second ship.
One practical constraint is cost: planners estimate the France Libre will cost about €10 billion (roughly US$11.2 billion), an amount that could instead finance at least ten new FDI-class frigates.
“Do we need two carriers? Two carriers allow you to maintain a standing alert from Toulon,” Cluzel told the National Assembly’s defense committee, alluding to the Charles de Gaulle’s home port in southern France. He added that having two carriers is a political choice rather than a purely naval one.
The admiral pointed out that to sustain an uninterrupted forward presence at sea would realistically require three carriers.
Cluzel said the delivery schedule for France Libre allows for a two-year overlap in 2036–2038, during which both the new carrier and the Charles de Gaulle would be in service and the navy would field two carrier crews. He described that overlap as essential to transfer expertise without interruption. This will mark the first time since the late 1990s — when the navy operated the conventionally powered Foch and Clemenceau — that France will have had two carriers available.
“The handover for a capability of this nature must be done without a gap, because losing that momentum costs you very dearly and it takes a long time to rebuild,” Cluzel said, noting that from 2036 to 2038 there will be a period in which both carriers can sail at the same time.
Official specifications announced for France Libre envisage a 310-meter vessel displacing about 80,000 tonnes, compared with the Charles de Gaulle’s 261.5 meters and roughly 42,000 tonnes. The current carrier normally embarks an air wing of around 40 aircraft — primarily naval Rafale fighters — plus two E-2C Hawkeye airborne early-warning aircraft and a complement of helicopters.
The lifetime-extension studies will examine stress and wear on the reactor cores that power the ship’s nuclear propulsion, and whether operational endurance could be increased by carrying more fuel on board, Cluzel said. Those technical assessments are expected to conclude in early 2029 and will be key to any decision on prolonging the ship’s service.
“But the reviews will also cover every major system on the carrier, because a ship is only as good as its critical systems, and availability must not be compromised by the failure of a single auxiliary,” he said. “So these are truly comprehensive studies.”
France plans to equip France Libre with U.S.-built electromagnetic catapults, despite U.S. President Donald Trump having directed the U.S. Navy to revert to steam catapult systems. Cluzel said he intends to raise the subject during meetings next week in Washington with his American counterpart, Adm. Daryl Caudle.
Electromagnetic launch systems have proven highly reliable, the admiral noted, with close to 40,000 launches recorded since the U.S. fielded them and availability rates near 98 percent. He argued that EM catapults provide significant operational benefits, including greater flexibility and the ability to launch heavier aircraft and drones.
Cluzel said he does not believe the France Libre program’s contract is in jeopardy, partly because the U.S. already operates three nuclear carriers equipped with EM catapults and arresting gear, which means a production pipeline and a sustainment and overhaul infrastructure exist.
To reduce dependency risks, France plans to follow the approach used for the steam catapults on the Charles de Gaulle by procuring a substantial initial stock of spare parts for the electromagnetic launchers, enabling the navy to carry out repairs domestically.
The admiral also dismissed the need for France to adopt short-takeoff/vertical-landing (STOVL) aircraft, saying such designs involve trade-offs in range or payload. He described France Libre as a “superiority carrier” — a nuclear-powered deck with catapults and arresting wires designed to secure air and sea dominance. With air and maritime control increasingly contested worldwide, Cluzel argued that carriers capable of asserting local air-sea superiority will be essential; in open ocean operations, he said, that capability is the only effective means to achieve air dominance.
Cluzel closed his remarks with an update on the new Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention (FDI), saying the class has so far lived up to expectations. While industrial competitors have raised criticisms, he insisted the new frigates built by Naval Group have proven highly seaworthy and stable.
He praised the FDI’s new flat-panel radar for its detection performance, calling it “remarkable” and at least on par with the sensors used on France’s air-defense frigates despite being mounted closer to the waterline. He also highlighted the ship’s native digital processing architecture, which he said delivers a notable improvement in sonar detection capability.
Similar Posts:
- France Completes Fleet Plan: Orders Final FDI Frigate from Naval Group!
- Major Setback: Aircraft Carriers Delayed for Years Amid Production Challenges
- Swedish Navy Captures Russian Drone Near French Carrier: Tensions Rise in Baltic Sea
- $5.1 Billion Overhaul: USS Harry S. Truman Aircraft Carrier Set for Mid-Life Upgrade!
- Australia Shakes Up Warship Program: Massive Frigate Purchase from Japan
Jamal Peterson reports on defense, aerospace, and tech policy. With a military background and a strategic mind, he dissects complex subjects with clarity, offering readers sharp, reliable insights.
