France Libre aircraft carrier.

Technical Data

• Design

  The France Libre (PA-NG) is a nuclear-powered CATOBAR aircraft carrier with a planned full-load displacement of 78,000 to 80,000 tonnes, an overall length of 310 m, a maximum flight-deck beam of 90 m, a waterline beam estimated at 39 to 40 m, and a draught of 10.8 m. Compared with the Charles de Gaulle, which displaces 42,500 tonnes and measures 261.5 m in length, the new carrier will be 48.5 m longer and have 83.5% to 88.2% greater displacement. Its hull will also be larger than those of the British Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, which displace approximately 65,000 tonnes, but smaller than the American Gerald R. Ford-class carriers, which exceed 100,000 tonnes. The increase in displacement provides internal volume for larger aviation facilities, a more powerful nuclear propulsion installation, electrical distribution equipment, maintenance spaces, ammunition storage, and accommodation for the embarked personnel.

  The flight deck will have an area estimated at 17,000 to 17,200 m², compared with approximately 12,000 m² aboard the Charles de Gaulle, representing an increase of 41.7% to 43.3%. Its geometry incorporates an angled landing area, forward launch positions, aircraft parking areas, and deck-edge handling facilities. The arrangement is intended to separate aircraft preparation and movement from active launch and recovery operations, reducing congestion during periods of intensive flying. The deck will also accommodate aircraft larger and heavier than those originally considered during the design of the Charles de Gaulle, particularly future combat aircraft and unmanned systems. Earlier configurations referred to a maximum beam of 85 m and a flight-deck area of approximately 16,000 m², reflecting the evolution of the carrier's design.

  The internal aviation arrangement includes two hangars with an estimated combined area of 5,000 m², compared with approximately 4,600 m² aboard the Charles de Gaulle. Two aircraft elevators will connect the hangar level to the flight deck, with each elevator designed to lift 40 tonnes, exceeding the 36-tonne capacity of those aboard the existing French carrier by 11.1%. Their positioning along the starboard deck edge is intended to reduce interference with the landing area during aircraft transfers. The hangars will accommodate aircraft maintenance, inspection, preparation, and storage, supported by workshops, spare-parts compartments, aircraft servicing installations, and internal ammunition handling routes. The final number of individual maintenance positions and the dimensions of the workshops have not been established.

  The ship will incorporate a single island superstructure on the starboard side, containing the navigation bridge, aviation control facilities, command spaces, and locations for radar and communications equipment. Its shape has evolved through successive design revisions, with particular attention to flight-deck visibility, antenna placement, electromagnetic compatibility, and the movement of aircraft around the superstructure. The island's position and dimensions must also accommodate the approach and departure paths associated with the angled landing area. The ship's hull and superstructure will provide space for future modifications to sensors and communications equipment without requiring a fundamental redesign of the flight deck. The final antenna arrangement and detailed island dimensions remain subject to development.

  The carrier's internal architecture must accommodate a nuclear propulsion section estimated at 100 m in length, together with machinery spaces, electrical distribution compartments, ammunition magazines, aviation fuel storage, and personnel facilities. The separation of these functions will influence the location of watertight boundaries, vertical access routes, maintenance corridors, and internal logistics systems. Particular attention will be required for the movement of aircraft weapons and equipment between storage spaces, preparation areas, and the flight deck. The larger hull also provides additional volume for equipment modernization over the carrier's planned 45-year service life. Detailed compartment layouts, structural thicknesses, and the final distribution of internal spaces have not been disclosed.

  The France Libre is intended to accommodate up to 2,000 personnel, including its embarked aviation component. Earlier planning estimates distinguished a ship's company of 900 to 1,080 personnel from an aviation element of 550 to 620 personnel, although these figures do not constitute a finalized personnel distribution. Accommodation and support facilities will include living quarters, medical spaces, food preparation and storage areas, administrative offices, command facilities, and workshops. The carrier's size and internal arrangement are intended to support successive modernization periods through the early 2080s, potentially involving changes to its air group, combat systems, electrical equipment, and aviation support infrastructure.

• Onboard Equipment

  The France Libre will incorporate a modular, data-centric combat management system intended to connect surveillance sensors, electronic warfare equipment, aviation control facilities, communications networks, and defensive weapons. Rather than treating each system as an isolated installation, the architecture will support the exchange and processing of tactical information across shipboard functions. It is intended to accommodate future artificial intelligence-assisted information processing, decision-support applications, and software updates throughout the carrier's operational life. Funding allocated in 2026 included development work on this combat system architecture. The final combat management system designation, computing architecture, and software configuration have not been established.

  The ship's principal radar equipment is expected to incorporate an advanced version of the Thales Sea Fire active electronically scanned array radar family. Sea Fire uses fixed phased-array antenna panels to conduct air and surface surveillance, track multiple targets, and support missile engagement functions without relying on a mechanically rotating main antenna. The France Libre's radar installation will need to accommodate the surveillance requirements of a large aircraft carrier, including the detection and tracking of aircraft, missiles, and surface contacts. Additional passive surveillance equipment and electronic support measures are expected to complement active radar sensors. The final number of radar panels, detection ranges, supplementary radars, and sensor installation locations remain unspecified.

  The ship's communications equipment will support secure voice and data exchange with embarked aircraft, escorting warships, submarines, replenishment vessels, and allied forces. Tactical data links will allow the carrier to exchange surveillance information, identification data, and operational instructions with other units of its carrier strike group. Integration with airborne early warning aircraft will extend the tactical picture beyond the detection limits imposed by the ship's own radar horizon. The communications architecture is also intended to support coordinated air operations and information exchange with national and allied command structures. The precise satellite communications terminals, tactical data-link configurations, and communications equipment manufacturers have not been finalized.

  Aviation support equipment will include aircraft servicing installations, deck handling equipment, maintenance workshops, weapons preparation facilities, and systems for transferring ammunition and supplies between internal compartments and the flight deck. These installations must accommodate aircraft with different maintenance requirements, including conventional fighters, airborne early warning aircraft, helicopters, and future unmanned systems. The ship will require aviation fuel storage and distribution arrangements capable of supporting intensive flying operations, together with ammunition magazines and dedicated handling routes. The final aviation fuel capacity, ammunition storage volume, and number of aircraft servicing stations have not been specified.

  The carrier's onboard electrical infrastructure will distribute power to surveillance sensors, communications equipment, combat systems, aviation installations, propulsion machinery, and auxiliary services. The network will need to manage both continuous electrical demand and intermittent high-power loads, particularly those associated with electromagnetic aircraft launching equipment. Electrical conversion, power management, energy storage, and distribution redundancy will be important elements of the installation. The precise distribution voltage, electrical storage capacity, and final installed generation ratings have not been confirmed. The architecture is intended to provide capacity for future equipment additions without extensive replacement of the ship's principal electrical infrastructure.

  The onboard digital architecture will incorporate cybersecurity requirements, secure system interfaces, and provisions for integrating additional equipment during successive modernization periods. Electronic warfare installations will contribute to electromagnetic surveillance and the identification of external emissions, while command facilities will process information from shipboard and offboard sources. The carrier will also require dedicated aviation mission-planning and control facilities to coordinate the employment of its embarked aircraft. Future unmanned aircraft operations may require additional control stations, communications links, and mission-management software. These installations will evolve as the aircraft and combat systems intended for service after 2040 are developed.

• Flight Capabilities

  The France Libre is designed to operate an embarked air group of up to 40 aircraft, including approximately 30 combat aircraft, three Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft, and five to six helicopters. The final composition will depend on operational requirements, aircraft availability, and the introduction of future combat aircraft and unmanned systems. The carrier's aviation installations are intended to accommodate aircraft with different takeoff masses, recovery characteristics, maintenance requirements, and mission profiles. The principal difference from the Charles de Gaulle will not necessarily be the total number of aircraft embarked, but the ability to handle a more diverse air group with greater flexibility during simultaneous aviation activities.

  The initial fighter component will consist primarily of Dassault Rafale M aircraft in the F5 configuration. The Rafale M is a twin-engine multirole fighter with a maximum takeoff weight of 24.5 tonnes, a length of 15.3 m, a wingspan of 10.9 m, and two Safran M88 engines producing 75 kN of thrust each with afterburner. Its maximum external weapons load is 9.5 tonnes across 13 stations. The aircraft can conduct interception, air superiority, maritime strike, land attack, reconnaissance, and airborne nuclear deterrence missions. The F5 standard is intended to incorporate improvements to sensors, electronic warfare, communications, and cooperation with unmanned combat aircraft. The France Libre's launch equipment is expected to permit Rafale operations at takeoff weights several tonnes greater than those achievable aboard the Charles de Gaulle, increasing flexibility in fuel and weapons configurations.

  The airborne early warning component will consist of up to three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft, replacing the E-2C generation operated aboard the Charles de Gaulle. The E-2D measures 17.6 m in length, has a wingspan of 24.6 m, and a maximum takeoff weight of 26.1 tonnes. It is powered by two Rolls-Royce T56-A-427A turboprop engines and has a maximum speed exceeding 600 km/h. Its AN/APY-9 radar combines electronically scanned and mechanically rotated surveillance modes, supporting the detection and tracking of airborne and maritime contacts beyond the carrier's radar horizon. The aircraft also provides tactical coordination and information exchange with fighters and escorting warships. Embarking three E-2Ds rather than the two E-2Cs commonly deployed aboard the Charles de Gaulle would increase flexibility for maintenance, crew rotation, and sustained surveillance operations, although simultaneous airborne availability will depend on aircraft serviceability and mission duration.

  The helicopter component will include five to six aircraft, primarily NHIndustries NH90 Caïman Marine helicopters and potentially Airbus H160M Guépard helicopters. The NH90 naval variant has a maximum takeoff weight of 11 tonnes, a length of 19.56 m with its rotors turning, and a maximum speed of approximately 300 km/h. It can conduct anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance, anti-surface warfare, search and rescue, and personnel transport missions. Depending on configuration, its equipment includes dipping sonar, sonobuoys, maritime radar, and lightweight torpedoes. The H160M, a helicopter in the 6-tonne class, is intended for surveillance, liaison, utility transport, and maritime support duties. Embarked helicopters will also provide plane-guard coverage during fixed-wing flight operations, allowing rapid response to aviation accidents at sea. The final distribution between the two helicopter types has not been determined.

  Unmanned aviation is expected to become an increasingly important component of the embarked air group after 2040. France envisages a carrier-compatible unmanned combat aerial vehicle capable of operating alongside Rafale F5 fighters and contributing to reconnaissance, surveillance, electronic warfare, and strike missions. Manned-unmanned teaming arrangements could allow crewed fighters to exchange information with unmanned aircraft and coordinate missions across greater distances. The ship's aviation installations are intended to accommodate differences in unmanned aircraft size, mass, launch requirements, and recovery characteristics. The final UCAV design, payload, endurance, maximum takeoff weight, and number of aircraft embarked remain undetermined. The projected combat aircraft capacity should therefore be understood as a combined allowance for crewed and potentially unmanned combat aircraft rather than a fixed allocation of 30 fighters plus an additional UCAV complement.

  The carrier has also been designed with provision for a future naval combat aircraft, initially associated with the Next Generation Fighter developed under the Future Combat Air System program. Such an aircraft could incorporate reduced-observable characteristics, advanced sensors, integrated electronic warfare systems, and cooperation with unmanned aircraft. Its eventual operation at sea would require compatibility with the carrier's launch and recovery equipment, elevators, hangars, and aircraft handling installations. However, the future fighter's dimensions, mass, naval adaptation, and development schedule have not been finalized. The France Libre's aviation design therefore preserves capacity for future aircraft without depending on a confirmed NGF configuration. This flexibility will be particularly relevant if the Rafale remains in naval service longer than initially anticipated or if future combat aircraft development follows a different industrial or operational path.

  Aircraft launches will use three General Atomics Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System tracks, replacing the two C13-3 steam catapults installed aboard the Charles de Gaulle, which are a shorter version of the standard catapult systems installed on the Nimitz-class. Earlier design information indicated tracks approximately 90 m long, with two positioned forward and a third associated with the angled-deck arrangement. EMALS uses electrically generated acceleration, allowing launch energy to be adjusted according to aircraft mass and operating conditions. Recovery operations will use three Advanced Arresting Gear wires, which employ digitally controlled arresting technology to manage aircraft deceleration. A $41.6 million engineering contract supported adaptation of the American equipment to French requirements, and Rafale compatibility testing began at Lakehurst, New Jersey, in 2025. The additional launch track and flight-deck geometry are intended to permit simultaneous launches and recoveries, reducing interruptions caused by overlapping aircraft movement areas. An estimated capacity of two launches every 30 seconds has been associated with the system, but this is a launch-sequence estimate rather than a sustained operational sortie rate.

  The France Libre is expected to generate 60 sorties per day during high-intensity operations, supported by ammunition storage intended to sustain more than seven days of intensive flying. This estimate should not be directly equated with the Charles de Gaulle's published maximum of 100 sorties per day for seven days, because the two figures may reflect different aircraft complements, mission durations, and operating assumptions. Actual sortie generation will depend on aircraft serviceability, maintenance turnaround times, flight-deck handling, weapons loading, mission profiles, and the availability of aviation fuel and ammunition. The carrier's larger aviation facilities are intended to improve flexibility in scheduling combat air patrols, airborne surveillance, strike missions, helicopter operations, and unmanned aircraft sorties. Nuclear propulsion will support sustained ship movements, but the duration and intensity of aviation operations will continue to depend on replenishment and the logistical capacity of the embarked air group.

• Protection

  The France Libre's protection concept combines structural survivability, compartmentalization, onboard defensive equipment, electronic countermeasures, and the layered defense provided by its carrier strike group. Like other modern aircraft carriers, it is not intended to rely primarily on thick external armor to withstand missile or torpedo impacts. Its protection will instead depend on detecting threats at distance, coordinating defensive engagements, limiting damage, and preserving essential functions after equipment failures or attacks. The carrier will operate with air defense frigates, anti-submarine warfare escorts, nuclear-powered attack submarines, and combat aircraft, creating successive defensive layers around the ship. No confirmed information establishes the thickness or composition of its protective plating, internal armor, or underwater protective structures.

  Airborne and shipboard surveillance will provide the first element of protection against aircraft and missile threats. E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft will extend surveillance beyond the carrier's radar horizon, while shipboard sensors and escorting warships will contribute additional tracking and identification information. The carrier strike group's combat systems will exchange tactical data to support coordinated defensive decisions and engagement assignments. Rafale M fighters will provide combat air patrols and interception, while escorting air defense frigates will contribute missile-based protection against threats approaching the formation. This arrangement is intended to engage hostile aircraft and missiles before they reach the carrier's immediate defensive perimeter. Its effectiveness will depend on sensor coverage, aircraft availability, communications, threat characteristics, and the capabilities of the accompanying warships.

  Protection against submarines will depend principally on the combined capabilities of escorting anti-submarine warfare frigates, nuclear-powered attack submarines, and embarked NH90 Caïman Marine helicopters. The NH90 can use dipping sonar, sonobuoys, and lightweight torpedoes to investigate and engage underwater contacts. Escorting frigates provide additional sonar coverage and helicopter facilities, while nuclear-powered attack submarines can conduct underwater surveillance and protect the carrier group against hostile submarines. The France Libre's own sonar equipment, underwater detection arrangements, and anti-torpedo countermeasures have not been specified. The Charles de Gaulle incorporates SLAT anti-torpedo countermeasures, but the installation of an equivalent or successor system aboard the France Libre remains unconfirmed. Consequently, no quantitative assessment can be made of the new carrier's resistance to underwater attacks.

  Structural protection will include the arrangements required for a large nuclear-powered warship, particularly watertight subdivision, fire suppression, flooding control, and the separation of essential machinery and electrical equipment. The nuclear installation will require reinforced containment structures, radiation shielding, cooling equipment, monitoring systems, and dedicated safety arrangements. Electrical distribution redundancy and emergency power management will be important for maintaining essential functions after machinery failures or damage. The ship's aviation facilities will also require fire suppression and damage-control provisions associated with aircraft fuel, munitions, and flight-deck accidents. The detailed arrangement of watertight compartments, damage-control zones, shock-resistant equipment, and emergency power systems has not been disclosed.

  Electronic warfare and countermeasures will provide additional protection against threats that use radar, infrared, or other guidance systems. The carrier is expected to incorporate electronic support measures, electronic countermeasures, and decoy equipment integrated with its defensive command arrangements. These systems will contribute to identifying hostile emissions and supporting defensive responses against aircraft and missile threats. The Charles de Gaulle uses ARBB-33 electronic jammers and Sagaie decoy launchers, but their presence does not establish the equipment that will be fitted aboard the France Libre. The new carrier's final electronic warfare suite, decoy types, and launcher quantities remain undetermined. Future modernization could introduce more advanced counter-drone systems or other defensive technologies as their operational requirements and maturity become clearer.

  The France Libre's larger displacement, newer equipment, and electrical capacity may provide additional opportunities for redundancy and modernization, but they do not establish a measurable increase in resistance to direct weapons impacts. Survivability will depend on the interaction between external defensive coverage, onboard systems, structural design, damage-control procedures, and the ability to maintain essential functions under adverse conditions. No confirmed figures are available for underwater explosion resistance, shock qualification, compartment survivability, or the number of missile or torpedo impacts the carrier could withstand. These characteristics must therefore remain unspecified rather than inferred from the ship's size or compared quantitatively with other aircraft carriers.

• Propulsion

  The France Libre will use an integrated nuclear-electric propulsion system powered by two TechnicAtome K22 pressurized water reactors, each rated at 220 MW of thermal power (MWth), for a combined output of 440 MWth. The K22 represents a substantial increase over the K15 reactors aboard the Charles de Gaulle, which each produce 150 MWth, giving the new carrier 46.7% more thermal power per reactor and 140 MWth more combined reactor output. The reactors will generate heat to produce steam for turbine-driven electricity generation, supplying propulsion and the ship's electrical network. The 440 MWth figure represents reactor thermal power rather than usable electrical output, since conversion through steam turbines and alternators involves energy losses. The K22 installation is intended to meet the requirements of a substantially larger ship with more demanding aviation and electrical systems.

  The two reactors will form part of a nuclear steam supply installation incorporating primary and secondary cooling circuits, steam generation equipment, control systems, and nuclear safety installations. The K22 design builds on French experience with naval pressurized water reactors developed for aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines, while providing the additional output required by the PA-NG. Naval Group and TechnicAtome received contracts worth €600 million in April 2024 covering long-lead propulsion components, including reactor structures and secondary steam equipment. Manufacturing of the first reactor components began at Naval Group's Cherbourg facility on September 25, 2025. The production schedule is intended to support integration of the nuclear machinery during the carrier's construction and subsequent testing before commissioning in 2038.

  The propulsion machinery will incorporate two principal turbo-alternator groups and three electric propulsion motors driving three separate propeller shafts. Arabelle Solutions was selected in March 2026 to supply four steam turbines, four high-speed moisture separator reheaters, and associated speed-control equipment, with deliveries scheduled by 2030. The turbines will convert steam energy into mechanical energy for electrical generation, while the reheaters will remove moisture and improve steam conditions during turbine operation. Electric motors will transmit propulsion power to three propellers, compared with the Charles de Gaulle's two-shaft arrangement. This architecture separates electricity generation from propeller drive and allows power demand to be managed across propulsion and shipboard services. The precise individual motor ratings, propeller diameters, shaft speeds, and power distribution have not been established.

  Earlier design estimates indicated approximately 80 MW of propulsion power and 110 MW of combined requirements, including propulsion and ship services. These values remain preliminary and should not be treated as verified installed electrical generation ratings. The carrier's nuclear-electric architecture will need to support substantial continuous loads from propulsion and ship services, together with variable demand from aviation equipment and surveillance systems. The electrical network will therefore require power conversion, energy management, and distribution arrangements capable of maintaining stable operation under changing conditions. The larger reactor installation also provides a basis for future increases in electrical demand associated with modernization, although the final power margin available for additional equipment has not been specified.

  The France Libre has a published maximum speed of 27 knots, equivalent to approximately 50 km/h, matching the commonly stated maximum speed of the Charles de Gaulle despite its substantially greater displacement. A parliamentary assessment has also referred to a 30-knot design objective, but this should not be treated as the final confirmed speed. At a constant 27 knots, the ship would theoretically travel 648 nautical miles, or approximately 1,200 km, in 24 hours. At 20 knots, the corresponding distance would be 480 nautical miles, or approximately 889 km. These calculations exclude maneuvering, adverse sea conditions, maintenance restrictions, and the need to maintain formation with accompanying warships. The three-shaft arrangement and hull design will incorporate hydrodynamic optimization intended to limit resistance, vibration, and cavitation, although no measured acoustic or propulsion efficiency figures are available.

  The K22 reactors are expected to use low-enriched uranium fuel, with refueling intervals estimated at ten years. Nuclear propulsion eliminates the need to replenish conventional propulsion fuel during deployments, giving the carrier effectively unlimited propulsion range between reactor refueling periods. Operational endurance will nevertheless remain constrained by aviation fuel, ammunition, food, spare parts, maintenance requirements, and personnel support. The ship will therefore continue to depend on replenishment vessels for sustained air operations, despite its ability to travel long distances without propulsion fuel support. Its planned 45-year service life will require successive maintenance periods, nuclear refueling activities, and modernization of machinery and electrical equipment. The final duration of deployments without logistical replenishment has not been established.

• Armament and Defense

  The France Libre's armament will combine organic defensive weapons with the offensive capabilities of its embarked combat aircraft. The carrier's shipboard weapons are intended primarily for self-defense against aircraft, anti-ship missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and short-range surface threats, while conventional strike, air superiority, maritime attack, and airborne nuclear deterrence missions will be conducted by embarked aircraft. Earlier design concepts incorporated Aster surface-to-air missiles, SIMBAD-RC short-range missile launchers, and RapidFire 40 mm naval guns. The final weapon configuration remains subject to decisions before commissioning in 2038, particularly because the French Navy intends to avoid selecting some equipment too early in the development process. The quantities, installation locations, and final missile variants have not been confirmed.

  The medium-range air defense component is expected to use MBDA Aster surface-to-air missiles launched from Sylver vertical launching systems. The Aster family includes the Aster 15, measuring 4.2 m and weighing 310 kg, and the Aster 30, measuring 4.9 m and weighing 450 kg. Their commonly published engagement ranges exceed 30 km and 100 km respectively, depending on the missile version and engagement conditions. Both use active radar terminal guidance and aerodynamic control surfaces supplemented by lateral thrust control during interception. The Charles de Gaulle carries 32 Aster 15 missiles in four eight-cell Sylver A43 launchers, providing a reference for existing French carrier self-defense arrangements. However, no confirmed Sylver launcher count or Aster missile allocation exists for the France Libre, and the adoption of Aster 30 cannot be assumed.

  Short-range missile defense has been associated with three MBDA SIMBAD-RC remotely controlled launchers carrying Mistral missiles. Each SIMBAD-RC mounting holds two ready-to-fire missiles and can be operated remotely from within the ship. The Mistral 3 is an infrared-guided missile measuring 1.86 m and weighing approximately 20 kg, with a maximum engagement range of 8 km under suitable conditions. It is intended to engage aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other compatible targets. A three-launcher installation would provide six ready-to-fire missiles before reloading. However, this quantity remains associated with earlier design concepts rather than a confirmed final armament arrangement.

  Gun-based close-in defense has been associated with four Thales/Nexter RapidFire 40 mm remotely operated naval mounts. RapidFire uses the 40CTAS cannon chambered for 40 × 255 mm cased telescoped ammunition, with a cyclic firing rate of 200 rounds per minute. Its effective engagement range reaches approximately 4 km against suitable aerial targets, with longer distances possible against certain surface targets. The system can employ programmable airburst ammunition intended to improve effectiveness against small or maneuvering targets. Each mounting incorporates stabilization, electro-optical fire-control equipment, and interfaces with the ship's surveillance and combat systems. Four installations could provide overlapping defensive sectors, but their final locations, ammunition capacities, and adoption remain unconfirmed.

  The principal air-to-air weapons carried by the embarked Rafale M fighters will include missiles from the MBDA MICA and Meteor families, subject to the configuration of the F5 standard and future procurement decisions. MICA is available in radar-guided and infrared-guided versions, while Meteor uses an active radar seeker and a throttleable ducted rocket propulsion system. Meteor has a published maximum range exceeding 100 km, although actual engagement distances depend on launch conditions, target characteristics, and flight profile. The Rafale F5 standard is intended to introduce improvements in sensors, electronic warfare, communications, and weapons integration, potentially expanding the aircraft's engagement options. The exact missile variants and quantities embarked during future deployments have not been established.

  For conventional strike missions, Rafale M fighters can employ weapons associated with French naval aviation, including AASM Hammer precision-guided bombs, SCALP-EG cruise missiles, and AM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles, subject to aircraft-standard compatibility. AASM Hammer combines guidance and propulsion equipment with conventional bomb bodies and is available with inertial/GPS, infrared, and laser guidance configurations. SCALP-EG is a long-range air-launched cruise missile with a published range exceeding 250 km, designed for attacks against defended fixed targets. The AM39 Exocet uses active radar terminal guidance and has a commonly published range in the 50-70 km class, depending on the version and launch conditions. The Rafale's 9.5-tonne maximum external weapons load allows combinations of missiles, bombs, fuel tanks, and other mission equipment. The final inventory of air-launched weapons carried aboard the France Libre will depend on mission requirements, aircraft compatibility, and future French procurement decisions.

  Airborne nuclear deterrence will remain a specific mission of the France Libre, continuing the capability currently provided by the Charles de Gaulle and its Rafale M aircraft. The future ASN-4G air-launched nuclear missile is intended to succeed the ASMP-A family and is planned for integration with the Rafale F5 standard. Its development is intended to address increasingly capable air defense systems, although its final dimensions, mass, speed, range, and operational deployment arrangements have not been established. The carrier will require the aviation, storage, handling, and security arrangements necessary to support this mission. The number of nuclear-capable aircraft and weapons embarked during a deployment has not been specified. Future unmanned combat aircraft may also introduce additional conventional strike or electronic warfare capabilities after 2040, but their weapons configurations remain undetermined.

  The carrier's defensive armament may evolve during its operational life as new threats and technologies emerge. Potential developments include improved surface-to-air missiles, more capable electronic countermeasures, dedicated counter-drone weapons, and directed-energy systems. Its electrical generation capacity and modular combat architecture are intended to facilitate the integration of equipment developed after commissioning, although no directed-energy weapon, power rating, installation location, or procurement schedule has been confirmed. The distinction between shipboard defensive weapons and aircraft-carried offensive weapons will remain central to the France Libre's employment: the carrier's organic armament will protect the ship against threats that penetrate the outer defensive layers, while its embarked air group will provide the principal means of conducting operations at distance.

The France Libre (PA-NG) is designed to operate an embarked air group of 40 aircraft, with its principal combat component consisting of up to 30 Rafale M fighters, supported by three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft and five to six helicopters.