France Steaming Ahead on PA2/CVF Carrier Project?
Related Stories: BAE, Britain/U.K., Contracts - Awards, Europe - France, Other Corporation, Project Failures, R&D - Contracted, Surface Ships - Combat, Thales
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Throughout most of the Cold War period, France maintained two aircraft carriers. That changed when the FNS Foch, the last Clemenceau Class carrier, was retired in November 2000 (it will now serve the Brazilian Navy as the Sao Paolo). As Strategis notes, France has lacked the capacity to ensure long-distance air coverage during the FNS Charles de Gaulle’s maintenance cycles or during other periods when the carrier is not available for active duty (approximately 35% of the time). In 2015, the ship will be taken out of service for an extensive maintenance overhaul. Despite a slippage in initial construction dates from 2005 to 2007-2008, the French still hope to take delivery by 2014 so the the new ship can be operational by the time their sole operational aircraft carrier goes off line for repairs.
The project has been awarded to the “MPOA2” (Maitrise d’Oeuvre Porte Avions No 2) consortium composed of DCN and Thales, and is now proceeding in cooperation with the UK. The design was originally though to be for a ship of about 58,000t, but detailed design work has pushed it up into the 74,000t range, fully 72% larger than the FNS Charles de Gaulle. Unlike the problematic nuclear-powered de Gaulle, however, the PA2 will be a conventionally-powered ship with an all-electric power system driven by Rolls Royce gas turbines.
The latest developments once again cast doubt on the PA2’s future. A future likely to be decided by French President Sarkozy himself – but not until 2011. Meanwhile France is re-considering nuclear propulsion in light of contemporary fuel prices…
- PA2: The Design & Acquisition Program
- PA2: Developments and Updates [updated]
- Additional Readings & Sources
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