French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday named France’s next nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the France Libre (“Free France”), framing it as a symbol of national independence and a push to strengthen the country’s naval forces, whose presence in the Middle-East region has been significant since the start of the Iran war.
Macron unveiled the warship’s name during a visit to the shipyard in the Western town of Indret, where its two nuclear reactors are to be built. The France Libre, which is to enter service in 2038, will have a capacity for 30 Rafale fighter jets and 2,000 sailors, for an estimated cost of 10 billion euros ($11.5 billion).
