Future French Aircraft Carrier

Future French Aircraft Carrier

PA2 (from Porte-Avions 2 - "aircraft carrier 2") is a planned new aircraft carrier developed for the French Navy by Thales Naval France and DCNS from the Thales UK/BMT design for the future British Queen Elizabeth class.

France's 2008 military budget included ordering a second aircraft carrier. However, in April 2008 French Defence Minister Herve Morin cast doubt over plans for a second aircraft carrier, citing a cash crunch and the fact that rising oil prices put the question of the propulsion back on the table, and said a decision would be taken soon. Further doubts were cast on the project on 21 June 2008 when French President Nicolas Sarkozy decided to suspend co-operation with Britain on the aircraft carrier. Sarkozy stated that a final decision on France building a second carrier would be taken in 2011 or 2012 but, now there are doubts over whether the aircraft carrier will be built. British plans for two aircraft carriers went ahead as planned despite the French withdrawal, as the original project had in any case been a British one and not dependent on French involvement. On 3 February 2009, the French government ordered studies about another architecture and design raising even more doubt on the likelihood of the French Navy using the current British design. The option of nuclear propulsion is back on the table and would require a completely different approach. The option of Azimuth thruster, as used on the Mistral-class ships, is also being considered.