Marine Nationale (French Navy)

[Ananda]

French Navy Rafale M shown the upgrade ASMPA-R cruise missile that officialy enter the French Navy arsenal.

France's New Nuclear-Armed Supersonic Cruise Missile Seen Clearly For The First Time

French Navy Rafale M fighters have also now joined their Air Force counterparts as launch platforms for the updated nuclear-tipped ASMPA-R.

www.twz.com

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

At last, the construction of the PANG is finally approved.
France formally green lights PA-Ng aircraft carrier production - Naval News

The planned PANG will be much larger than the current Charles de Gaulle, if the size was in the same class as the current aircraft carrier or maybe even similar to the Queen Elizabeth Class, than the possibility of a two ship class would be more likely.

 

[Murse]

Its a shame that they are only building 1. 2 is 1 and 1 in none as I read here recently

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Its a shame that they are only building 1. 2 is 1 and 1 in none as I read here recently

Yes, imagine you urgently need your only aircraft carrier to evacuate your citizens abroad, or for other support missions, and it just entered heavy periodic maintenance.

 

[SolarisKenzo]

France can barely afford one, two is currently out of discussion.
They might share the second with another country (Italy?) but I honestly don't see it as a realistic option.

 

[Murse]

France can barely afford one, two is currently out of discussion.
They might share the second with another country (Italy?) but I honestly don't see it as a realistic option.

I didn't know they were that cash poor. So it begs the question, why do it? National pride and job creation/maintenance i suspect, but what capabilities or platforms will they miss out on to pay for it?

 

[Ananda]

The only time French have 2 carrier fleet are the time of Cold War with Foch and Clemanceu. Since CDG, they only have one CVN, and not surprising that CDG will only be replace by another one CVN.

Let's compare between RN two carrier and Marine Nationale (MN) one carrier. RN shown that they relies on allies coop to have full operational CAG. Sometimes on escorts requirement and sometimes on the Air Wing (with US Marines F-35B). While MN relies mostly on their own assets.

Perhaps they can afford two carriers, but not two fully MN assets CAG (as like condition of RN that admitted they don't have assets to cover 2 CAG simultanously). Seems MN doctrine as French, is to have independencies of CAG more important. If they can only afford 1 CAG, why bother with 2nd carrier (as back up).

 

[John Fedup]

The only time French have 2 carrier fleet are the time of Cold War with Foch and Clemanceu. Since CDG, they only have one CVN, and not surprising that CDG will only be replace by another one CVN.

Let's compare between RN two carrier and Marine Nationale (MN) one carrier. RN shown that they relies on allies coop to have full operational CAG. Sometimes on escorts requirement and sometimes on the Air Wing (with US Marines F-35B). While MN relies mostly on their own assets.

Perhaps they can afford two carriers, but not two fully MN assets CAG (as like condition of RN that admitted they don't have assets to cover 2 CAG simultanously). Seems MN doctrine as French, is to have independencies of CAG more important. If they can only afford 1 CAG, why bother with 2nd carrier (as back up).

I guess 2 carriers would be useful albeit never deployed together as two sets of escorts couldn’t be manned even if the funding was available.