French President Reveals Name for New Nuclear Aircraft Carrier

French President Emmanuel Macron announced the country's upcoming nuclear aircraft carrier will be called 'France Libre' in honor of WWII resistance fighters. The massive warship is expected to cost $11.5 billion and enter service in 2038.

French President Emmanuel Macron revealed Wednesday that his nation’s upcoming nuclear-powered aircraft carrier will bear the name ‘France Libre’ (‘Free France’), positioning the vessel as a representation of national sovereignty while boosting the country’s maritime military strength amid significant naval operations in Middle Eastern waters.

During a visit to the Indret shipyard in western France, where the carrier’s dual nuclear reactors will be constructed, Macron announced the warship’s designation. The France Libre is scheduled to begin operations in 2038 and will accommodate 30 Rafale fighter aircraft along with 2,000 crew members, carrying a price tag of approximately 10 billion euros ($11.5 billion).

This announcement coincides with France’s current naval deployment to the eastern Mediterranean and broader Middle East region, including eight frigates, two helicopter carriers, and the existing nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Macron characterized this extensive French naval presence as having no historical precedent, establishing France as the European country with the strongest military footprint in the area.

According to Macron, the France Libre name pays tribute to General Charles de Gaulle’s resistance organization that fought alongside Allied forces to free France and Europe from Nazi occupation during World War II.

“In this name lives the memory of the women and men who stood up against barbarity, united to save the homeland, determined to defend a certain idea of our nation,” he said. “This name therefore seals a pledge for the future: to remain free, we must be feared. To be feared, we must be powerful.”

The new carrier will measure 310 meters (1,017 feet) in length with a displacement of approximately 80,000 tons, significantly larger than the Charles de Gaulle’s 261-meter (856-foot) length and 42,000-ton displacement.

Despite its impressive size, the France Libre will remain smaller than the world’s largest warship, the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier, which displaces over 100,000 tons and stretches 1,100 feet (334 meters).

Macron emphasized that the France Libre will bolster France’s nuclear deterrent capabilities by carrying nuclear-equipped aircraft, similar to the Charles de Gaulle’s current role.

This month, Macron revealed plans to expand France’s nuclear weapons stockpile and, in an unprecedented move, permit temporary deployment of nuclear-armed aircraft to partner nations as part of a new approach designed to increase European strategic autonomy.

Following Britain’s departure from the European Union in 2020, France remains the bloc’s sole nuclear-armed member state.