France to muscle defense capacities with 2nd aircraft carrier

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, February 14, 2004

France to muscle defense capacities with 2nd aircraft carrier

France announced Friday that it will build a second aircraft carrier using conventional propulsion to reinforce its nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle by 2015.

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France announced Friday that it will build a second aircraft carrier using conventional propulsion to reinforce its nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle by 2015.

"This development is particularly significant in the anniversary year of the Entente Cordiale and will contribute to the strengthening of both Europe's defense capabilities and Franco-British military cooperation," said French President Jacques Chirac when announcing the decision.

Entente Cordiale was a pact that France and Britain signed 100 years ago to form a military alliance in World Wars I and II.

Earlier in the day, Chirac's office said France has chosen to start building the sister ship of Charles de Gaulle in 2005 and have it completed by 2015 in cooperation with Britain.

"The choice brings a response that is perfectly adapted to the operational needs of the coming decades and opens better perspectives of cooperation with the United Kingdom," it said.

The office specified that the decision was made following a proposal from British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has thanked France for the decision.

The second aircraft carrier is included in France's 2008-2013 military program, which envisions spending 88 billion euros (about100 billion US dollars) to build up military strength.

The choice of conventional power model means France could sharecost with Britain, which also plans to build two conventionally-powered aircraft carriers by 2015 with a budget of 4.4 billion euros (5.7 billion dollars).

Terming the decision "a European choice," French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said two aircraft carriers are "necessary to ensure the permanent operation of the (French) nation's Naval Air service. "

The second aircraft carrier is expected to go into service by 2015 when Charles de Gaulle is scheduled for maintenance, said thedefense ministry.

Denis Ranque, chairman of the French defense electronics company Thales, said the company would surely play a "central role" in the French carrier project.

France's naval ship builder DCN, French engineering giant Alstom and Britain's Rolls-Royce are also expected to play a role in the project, said Ranque.

The French carrier would cost less than 2 billion euros, and the final figure would vary according to how much equipment was shared between the French and British carriers, he added.

The French navy operates one nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and a helicopter carrier Jeanne d'Arc.

The Charles de Gaulle, weighing 38,000 tons and measuring 261.50 meters long, was built at the DCN Brest naval shipyard in Brittany and entered service in May 2001.

With a 12,000-square-meter landing deck, Charles de Gaulle can have a maximum speed of 27 knots due to its two nuclear boiler rooms.

The Jeanne d'Arc, helicopter carrier and naval school for the National Navy, will stay in service till 2010 and there is no planto replace it.

Source: Xinhua

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