The French military is studying what sort of aircraft carrier should replace the Charles De Gaulle, and should decide by the end of 2020, Defense Minister Florence Parly said on Tuesday.
“The new French carrier will be floated by 2038,” she said on BFM television. “We must define its missions, how many planes, what sort of planes.” The study is being carried out in parallel with a reflection on the next generation of fighters.
The nuclear-powered Charles De Gaulle, the largest non-US aircraft carrier in use, entered service in 2001 and has been used in military conflicts in Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, and Iraq.