Will France one day have a second aircraft carrier? The question was officially raised by an amendment to the military programming law 2024-2030. The General Directorate of Armaments (DGA) must present a feasibility study that must be presented in 2028. Obviously, the issue is closely followed by Admiral Vaujour, new Chief of the Naval Staff (CEMM).
This effort is based on many points. Financial and industrial, of course, but not only that. For the CEMM, human resources issues must be studied closely. “The challenge of human resources is (…) difficult to achieve,” admits Admiral Vaujour, recalling that this problem was already delicate when France had the Foch and the Clémenceau between the 60s and 90s. These two buildings made it possible to guarantee the permanence at sea.
Double the strength of the carrier battle group.
For the future new generation aircraft carrier (PA-NG), 2,000 sailors are already planned, of which 500 for the embarked air group. In fact, 2,000 more would be needed. A second building would also require doubling the fleet that moves with it. The aircraft carrier group is made up of a nuclear attack submarine (SNA), four frigates (two multi-mission and two anti-aircraft), a patrol vessel and a supply ship. This is about a thousand sailors, whose number should be doubled.
As for recruitment, training is an equally sensitive point that concerns all new ships of the French Navy, not only the PA-NG, but also submarines such as the 3rd generation SNLE (nuclear ballistic missile submarine). or cyber defense and intervention. frigates.
Will France be able to carry out its naval missions with a single naval strike group? Admiral Vaujour is convinced of this.
Harder, more brutal and imposed commitments
Furthermore, he points out that with the war in Ukraine, which extends to the Black Sea and may take place in other parts of the planet, it is no longer possible to act alone in the face of an “acceleration of disorder.” “We must be able to cope with high intensity, but not alone” to be able to intervene at any time when necessary.
“We must prepare for tougher confrontations, to confront each other in a brutal way and not in a chosen way. We are no longer in chosen wars, but in imposed wars and probably in a very brutal way,” warns Admiral Vaujour.
The new CEMM is thus aligned with the vision of its predecessor, Admiral Vandier, and the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, General Burkhard, whose doctrine is to “win the war before it arrives.”
Source: BFM TV
