Within the framework of the new generation aircraft carrier program (PA-NG), the French National Navy reached a decisive step with the start of the construction of the K-22 nuclear reactors, which will constitute the propulsion system of the future replacement of the Charles de Gaulle (R-91). The welding ceremony of the first steel sheet of the container compartments was held on September 25, 2025, at the Naval Group facilities in Cherbourg, marking the beginning of a critical phase in the construction of the new aircraft carrier.
The steel modules intended to house the K-22 reactors represent an unprecedented industrial challenge for the French naval industry. At 14 meters high, 13 meters in diameter, and weighing approximately 1,300 tons each, they were designed by TechnicAtome under the supervision of the Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA). Their construction in Cherbourg reflects the technical capacity of Naval Group, traditionally dedicated to the production of submarines, and now focused on a strategic program of national scope.
The development of the PA-NG not only represents the continuity of French experience in nuclear propulsion, gained over more than half a century in nuclear submarines and consolidated with the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, heir to the Foch (R-99) and Clemenceau (R-98), but also the incorporation of unprecedented technological solutions for a European aircraft carrier. As highlighted by Philippe Bahurel, program director, “the design of these compartments constitutes a greater challenge than that of the Charles de Gaulle, since they fulfill a structural and protective function that in submarines falls on the pressure hull.” In his words, the integration into the ship resembles the assembly of “Russian dolls,” given that the nuclear rooms will be inserted inside these modules before being incorporated into the hull.
Construction began with the base of the compartments, considered the most complex and demanding part in terms of naval boilermaking. For this, Naval Group capitalizes on the experience accumulated in the construction of the K-15 rooms of the Charles de Gaulle and of the submarine fleet, now adapted to the requirements of the K-22 reactors. This process is supported by key contracts awarded in April 2024 for a value of 600 million euros: Naval Group will be in charge of industrialization, Chantiers de l’Atlantique of the preparation of facilities in Saint-Nazaire, and TechnicAtome of design and technical supervision.
The program’s schedule reflects its magnitude: initiated in 2018 with preliminary studies, it advanced with the preliminary designs in 2021 and the detailed studies in 2023. After the current construction phase, sea trials are expected to begin in 2036 and entry into service to take place in 2038, coinciding with the retirement of the Charles de Gaulle. In this way, France will guarantee the continuity of its nuclear-propelled naval aviation capability, ensuring a larger aircraft carrier with superior performance.
With a length close to 300 meters, a displacement of between 70,000 and 75,000 tons, and a design compatible with allied weapons systems, the PA-NG will be able to operate an air wing composed of up to 32 next-generation fighters, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft, and embarked drones. Its 90-meter-long EMALS electromagnetic catapults, supplied by General Atomics, together with the Thales SeaFire radar and the Aster surface-to-air missiles integrated into the PAAMS (Principal Anti-Air Missile System), will consolidate the future PA-NG as the flagship of the French Navy.
*Images used for illustrative purposes
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