Euronaval 2022: Naval Group unveils French new generation aircraft carrier.

Naval Group participates in the Euronaval exhibition in Paris-Le Bourget from 18 to 21st October 2022, at booth G149 / hall 2A. The international player in naval defense is unveiling the French Navy's new generation aircraft carrier.

A model of the future French Navy's new generation aircraft carrier. (Picture source: Navy Recognition)

Naval Group and its partners are mobilizing all their industrial know-how and resources to develop and build the new generation nuclear aircraft carrier (PA-Ng).

A sovereignty ship to be commissioned by the French Navy in 2038, which will benefit from all the experience feedback and innovation investments since the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.

The New Generation Aircraft Carrier (PANG for short) is a French aircraft carrier project to replace the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. Preliminary studies were launched in October 2018.

After the Charles de Gaulle was commissioned on 18 May 2001, a project to have another aircraft carrier, the PA 2, was launched in 2003 based on the British aircraft carrier, the Queen Elizabeth class. The project was suspended in 2009 and abandoned in 2012.

During a visit to the Chantiers de l'Atlantique in May 2020, the Minister of Defence confirmed that the new generation aircraft carrier (PANG) will be built in Saint-Nazaire, the shipyard being the only one (in France) able to build a ship of such a large tonnage.

The new aircraft carrier will have a displacement of 7500 tons, a length of 305 meters, and a beam of 40 meters (131 ft 3 in). She will have two elevators.

The ship will be nuclear-powered and feature the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) catapult system. She is expected to carry combat drones, developed by Airbus and MBDA as part of the Future Air Combat System, which would be a real innovation.

The PA-Ng will carry aircraft and helicopters including E-2 Hawkeye early-warning fixed-wing, 30 Dassault Rafale fighter jets, or FCAS (French: Système de combat aérien du futur; SCAF), Airbus Helicopters H160M, and NHIndustries NH90 helicopters.