PA NG - next gen French Aircraft carrier program

[FighterJock]

Thanks Anderman, now I know the true source of the information that wiki used.

 

[Forest Green]

The german Wiki also has a width of 85 m and it source is this article of EDR.

French Navy new generation aircraft carrier design detailed - EDR Magazine

EDR reveals further details on the French Navy new generation aircraft carrier that was unveiled by the French DGA during Euronaval 2022

www.edrmagazine.eu

There is of course the possibility that the EDR article pulled it from wiki and then the German wiki pulled it from EDR. Waterline is stated at 39m, Gerald Ford Class is stated at 41m, QE Class also 39m. Gerald Ford deck width is 78m, QE deck width is 73m. 75m seems more likely, unless the 85m includes the over-hanging weapons placements off the side.

 

[H_K]

The original source was a press briefing by Naval Group at Euronaval 2022. From this slide:

Euronaval 2022: Latest PANG Aircraft Carrier Design Breaks Cover - Naval News

An updated design of the PANG (porte-avions de nouvelle génération) new generation aircraft carrier was unveiled today on Day one of Euronaval 2022...

www.navalnews.com

However another official document (attached below) says 80m overall width, so who knows?

 

[FighterJock]

We won't know for sure until the main design get's frozen. They will probably keep changing the design characteristics of the carrier until they are happy with it.

 

[Hydroman]

Looks like big-deck flattops make sense, i.e China and now France. And France is returning to nuke power with their PA-NG, plus the French make very good commercial reactors which power their country as well.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Looks like big-deck flattops make sense, i.e China and now France. And France is returning to nuke power with their PA-NG, plus the French make very good commercial reactors which power their country as well.

yeah, I fully expected France's next carrier to be that kind of size.

The only issue I have with French reactors is that they use LEU, which means they need to be refueled much more often. On the subs, they have a bolted on hatch for access to save them from cutting into the hull every 7-8 years. I don't know how that will work around all the stuff that is between the reactors and the flight deck, and I suspect poorly.

 

[BlackBat242]

Neither Toulon or Brest have any major restrictions.

Toulon in particular can take a Nimitz class CVN in one drydock.

 

[Manuducati]

And France is returning to nuke power with their PA-NG (...)

France latest generation of carrier (Charles De Gaulle, as opposed to Foch/Clémenceau) is already nuclear-powered.

 

[TomS]

yeah, I fully expected France's next carrier to be that kind of size.

The only issue I have with French reactors is that they use LEU, which means they need to be refueled much more often. On the subs, they have a bolted on hatch for access to save them from cutting into the hull every 7-8 years. I don't know how that will work around all the stuff that is between the reactors and the flight deck, and I suspect poorly.

Charles de Gaulle did her first refueling overhaul in 15 months (including a propeller swap) and her second in 18 months (including a new radar fit). I think the French have this figured out.

 

[FighterJock]

That should see Charles de Gaulle through to when the PANG eventually replaces her.