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 West Asia region has been significant since the start of the Iran war.
Mr. 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 ($11.5 billion).
The move comes as France deployed to the eastern Mediterranean and the wider West Asia eight frigates, two helicopter carriers and its current nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle. Macron described the large-scale deployment of the French navy as “unprecedented,” making France the European nation with the most prominent presence in the region.
France Libre is a direct reference to General Charles de Gaulle's resistance movement, which joined Allied forces to help liberate France and Europe from the Nazis during World War II, Mr. Macron said.
