Macron: France's Future Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier Named "Free France"

Paris - French President Emmanuel Macron, on Wednesday (18/3), announced the name of France’s future aircraft carrier as “Free France” during his visit to the city of Nantes, where the main components of the vessel will be produced. Macron described the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier as extremely important for France’s nuclear deterrence. He stated that the new carrier will ensure France’s independence for several decades to come. Without a strong defence industry, Macron asserted, France would face military dependency, strategic domination by others, and economic subordination. The new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier will cost nearly 10 billion euros (1 euro = Rp19,411) or the equivalent of 11.5 billion US dollars (one US dollar is approximately Rp16,990) and is scheduled to begin operations in 2038. Macron said the project will create jobs, benefit domestic companies, and support the development of the national defence industry. The new aircraft carrier is designed to replace the current nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, “Charles de Gaulle,” named after the French president and general Charles de Gaulle. That carrier began operations in 2001. According to a report by French television station BFM TV, the new carrier will have a displacement of around 77,000 tonnes, heavier than the “Charles de Gaulle,” which weighs about 42,000 tonnes. While speaking to French armed forces stationed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in December 2025, Macron announced the start of the development and construction of the new aircraft carrier for the French Navy, which he described as an important step to enhance France’s maritime power.