The only French aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, will soon bow out. In 2038, his successor will have to take over. It remains to find a name for it. And there, the work has only just begun.
The future name of the successor to the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier under discussion
The debate rages around the name of the future French aircraft carrier, successor to the legendary Charles de Gaulle. This titanic project, named PANG (New Generation Aircraft Carrier), is attracting great attention not only because of its technological and strategic scope, but also because of the symbolic choice of its name. Indeed, behind the choice of the name hidden are political, historical and emotional issues that reflect the values of the nation.
The PANG, or New Generation Aircraft Carrier, represents a colossal investment of 10 billion euros, included in the 2024-2030 military programming law. The construction of this giant of the seas, announced by President Emmanuel Macron during a visit to Framatome in December 2023, will begin at the end of 2025 or early 2026, for commissioning planned for 2038.
What name for a giant?
Attention is now focused on the name that this future aircraft carrier will bear. Traditionally, the names of French warships embody strong values or pay homage to historical figures. The Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, set clear criteria. He wants a non-divisive and non-controversial name, unique in the French navy and embodying a strong symbol.
According to Le Monde, two names hold the string. On the one hand, Simone Veilan emblematic figure in the fight for women’s rights and a survivor of the Shoah, symbolizes humanism and social progress. She is considered the big favorite. On the other hand, François Mitterrand, notable president of the Fifth Republic, embodies the unity and recent history of the country.
The Defense Historical Service (SHD) was mandated to propose a list to the President of the Republic, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and the Minister of the Armed Forces. This process is expected to take several more weeks.
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