A newly published French parliamentary report is urging the government to order a second next-generation aircraft carrier by 2029, arguing that a sister ship to the future France Libre is needed to secure a permanent carrier strike group presence at sea.

The report, authored by lawmaker Yannick Chenevard as an advisory document for the National Defense and Armed Forces Committee, concludes that a second hull would cost roughly 30 percent less than the lead ship because research and development costs are already covered.

France currently relies solely on the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle, which faces periods without a sovereign carrier capability during routine and major maintenance. That ship is due to retire around 2038 when the France Libre enters service, with both vessels operating together between 2035 and 2038 to support crew transfer and training.

The report recommends placing the order in 2029 to keep the two carriers on offset maintenance schedules, and argues against extending the Charles de Gaulle, citing a costly fourth refit estimated at around two billion euros.

Source: Naval News