France opts for conventional aircraft carrier

Feb 14, 2004
Author: P&S

The French government has decided to build its second aircraft carrier with conventional propulsion and not with nuclear power as was the case with its other aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle.

As a result of the decision France will be able to enter into closer co-operation with Britain, which also plans to build two conventional aircraft carriers by 2015.

The statement from the Elysee Palace read: “Following a proposal from the (British) prime minister, the president of the republic has chosen classic propulsion for the second aircraft carrier that France is due to acquire. The choice brings a response that is perfectly adapted to the operational needs of the coming decades and opens better perspectives of co-operation with the United Kingdom.”

This co-operation includes a sharing of costs between France and the UK – one of the ideas being to build two-thirds of the British carriers in the UK and the remainder of the ships at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard in France.