In Europe, only France and the United Kingdom field aircraft carriers. France maintains only one nuclear aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, which has been in service for more than 20 years.
With its lone carrier aging, France has been working on its replacement: the Porte-Avions de Nouvelle Génération (PANG). The carrier has been in development since 2018 and recently received the official green light to begin construction in December 2025…