Both laughter and sin. Emmanuel Macron, President of France, has officially announced that a program is currently underway to develop a new nuclear aircraft carrier to replace the country's existing Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.
Stunning news. So much has already been written about Charles de Gaulle, how many times we have already discussed this floating disaster, and here you are …
I just want to sing a paraphrase from a film about the musketeers: “Where, sir, did you really get carried away? Really you can afford "De Gaulle"? ".
But it turns out that the aircraft carrier rake is pulling Macron to itself. Few accidents, few irradiated sailors, few frankly funny situations - let's continue! Well, if finances allow - why not? We will not advise the French on how to spend money from the budget in this difficult time? We will not. We have our own budget, our own problems.
They want another strange ship - good luck to the shipbuilding company "Naval Group", which is owned by the state (albeit partially, but nevertheless), which, as they say, "has already created the concept art of the new ship."
Concept art even sounds scary. It will be PANG, or Porte Avion Nouvelle Generation, which in French sounds like "a new generation aircraft carrier."
Sounds scary. Especially considering what the aircraft carrier was doing now of the old generation.
But there is a nuance: Macron made this statement not at a press conference or during an address to the people, but during a visit on December 8 to Framatome, a company that builds nuclear reactors and related equipment.
It is clear that it is "Framatome" that is going to build power plants for the new ship. It is logical, because it was in the workshops of this company that the "Charles de Gaulle" unit was born, which proved itself so well during the service of the ship. And what, the move reported? Well, yes, not 27 knots, but 24, but this is because the propellers were from other ships. And more than two hundred irradiated people are also bearable.
By the way, the controlling stake in Framatome … also belongs to the French government. So everything is reliable.
In France, it is believed that by 2038 "Charles de Gaulle" will finally get the country's treasury with its endless repairs and accidents, so the best that shines for him is disassembly and disposal. It is very difficult to say how good the radioactive needles from de Gaulle will be.
Therefore, today Macron decided that it was high time to think about a new leader for the French fleet.
“Charles de Gaulle, as you know, will end his service in 2038. That is why I decided that the future aircraft carrier, which will represent our country and our fleet, will be nuclear, like Charles de Gaulle, - said Macron.
Uh …
It is expected that the new aircraft carrier will be slightly larger: 300 meters in length against 262 at De Gaulle, a displacement of about 75,000 tons against 42,500 tons at De Gaulle.
Two K22 nuclear reactors will power the ship's propulsion system and give the ship a speed of up to 27 knots and power all of the aircraft carrier's systems, including electromagnetic catapults for aircraft.
In general, the aspiration of the French military and non-military is understandable. Build a huge ship, providing jobs for many in the nuclear industry. Build planes for him.
In general, nothing new. Considering how valuable the Charles de Gaulle has become for the French Navy, the new ship will not need much effort to outperform its predecessor.
There are many questions. And to nuclear reactors and electromagnetic catapults. How “good” the Rafali took off from the Charles de Gaulle - if it is also on the new ship, it’s just awful. With all the talk about the fact that electromagnetic catapults are universal and reliable …
According to available information, the new aircraft carrier will be able to normally accommodate about 30 fighters. It may have originally been Dassault Rafale-M fighters, but French Defense officials say the ultimate goal is to carry the next generation fighter jet (NGF), which is now being developed under the Future Air Combat System (FCAS) program.
New aircraft for a new aircraft carrier … no, if this is implemented, it will be very significant and significant. If you implement.
If everything is clear with the planes, France and Germany are developing the program, the drones will be supplied by Airbus. Nice kit, there is someone to work with. The FCAS program of one of the concepts involves the use of one new generation fighter, accompanied by three UAVs.
However, all this splendor is still under development. But there is still time, as much as 18 years. This is a lot, this amount is enough to complete the development and even build everything you need.
Another question is how well it will turn out in fact?
Its predecessor, the Charles de Gaulle nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which was actually equal in cost to the American Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, did not perform well. To spend more than half of the period out of 20 years of service is completely frivolous.
However, it is not for us to judge. But the fact that if the situation does not improve dramatically, then the French fleet is unlikely to be blessed with a new flagship. More precisely, the flagship may appear, but how real it will be a battleship …
In general, approximately "Charles de Gaulle" is more than enough to make it worth thirty times to think about whether it is worth repeating the history of a nuclear aircraft carrier, which is not capable of anything.
Maybe it's really not worth it?
