France must build this massive nuclear carrier to project strength against predators in an age of rising threats. The 80,000-tonne warship will make France a feared maritime power, dwarfing European rivals and rivaling China's capabilities. Despite budget concerns, national security demands this investment in military dominance.
This carrier project diverts billions from pressing military needs while France faces potential European conflict with Russia. The timing couldn't be worse given the budgetary deadlock gripping the nation's economy. Military leaders question whether other defense priorities should come first instead of this prestige project.
There is a 10% chance that France and Russia will engage in significant direct military conflict before 2031, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
© 2025 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0