France is set to begin construction of a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday.
"In times of aggression, we must be strong to be feared. I have decided to equip France with a new aircraft carrier," Macron was quoted as saying by French media at a Christmas event at a French military base in the United Arab Emirates.
With a displacement of around 80,000 tons, the carrier will be almost twice as heavy as its predecessor, the Charles de Gaulle.
At 310 metres long and 85 metres wide, it is designed to accommodate 30 fighter jets and 2,000 crew members.
Construction is estimated to cost up to €10 million ($11.7 million). The carrier is expected to be operational from 2038, Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin said on X.
France is the only country besides the US that owns a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The Charles de Gaulle was commissioned in 2001.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
See tonight’s solar storm unfold across the world - 2Cyber Monday Paramount+ deal: Save 50% and stream these buzzy Taylor Sheridan shows
- 3With more Moon missions on the horizon, avoiding crowding and collisions will be a growing challenge
- 4Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis join Iran in strike on Israel
- 5The Best Web-based Courses for Ability Advancement
- The face is familiar, the name might not be. The king of "Hey, it's that guy!' roles is ready to show you his next act.
- 4 Excellent Remote Headphones of 2024
- Investigating the World's Chief Authentic Urban communities to Visit
- Ads promising cosmetic surgery patients a ‘dream body’ with minimal risk get little scrutiny
- Russia confirms 16 Cameroonian soldiers killed in Ukraine war
- Alice Wong, founder of the Disability Visibility Project, dies at 51
- Investigating Inside Plan and Home Style: Change Your Residing Space
- Cocoa Prices Sink on Favorable Crop Conditions in West Africa
- Extraordinary Snowboarding Objections All over the Planet
