Reference News, March 21 report. According to Associated Press, March 18 report, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on the 18th that France has started the construction of a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and named it "Liberté de France" to symbolize national independence and promote the strengthening of naval power. Since the Iran war began, the French Navy has maintained a considerable presence in the Middle East.

The report said that Macron revealed the name of the carrier during his visit to the shipyard in the western town of Saint-Nazaire, where the two nuclear reactors of the ship will be built. "Liberté de France" is expected to be commissioned in 2038, capable of carrying about 30 Rafale fighter jets and 2,000 sailors, with an estimated cost of 10 billion euros.

At the same time, France has deployed eight frigates, two helicopter carriers, and the existing Charles de Gaulle nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean and the broader Middle East region. Macron stated that this large-scale deployment of the French Navy is "unprecedented," making France the European country with the most prominent presence in the region.

Macron said that "Liberté de France" directly refers to General Charles de Gaulle's resistance movement, which joined the Allies during World War II and helped liberate France and Europe from Nazi hands.

The new carrier has a displacement of nearly 80,000 tons and is about 310 meters long, while the Charles de Gaulle has a displacement of about 42,000 tons and is about 261 meters long.

It will still be smaller than the currently largest carrier in the world, the U.S. "Gerald R. Ford," which has a displacement of over 100,000 tons and is about 334 meters long.

Macron emphasized that like the Charles de Gaulle carrier, the "Liberté de France" carrier can carry aircraft equipped with nuclear weapons, which will strengthen France's nuclear capabilities.

According to the French magazine "Le Point" website, March 18 report, the name of France's new generation carrier was highly anticipated. The new carrier was initially conceived in 2019, announced in 2020, and finally confirmed by the end of 2025. It now has its own name: "Liberté de France." It will inherit the historical glory of the French naval aviation for more than 100 years.

The report said that at the site of the main contractor of the new carrier - Naval Group's plant in Saint-Nazaire on the Atlantic coast - Macron revealed the name of this future sea giant. The first steel plates of the carrier, which is about 310 meters long and has a displacement of nearly 80,000 tons, were cut last year.

"Liberté de France" will be much larger than the Charles de Gaulle, which is about 261 meters long and has a displacement of about 42,000 tons, and also uses nuclear propulsion. It will carry about 40 aircraft, including about 30 fighter jets. The carrier is expected to be completed in 2036 and officially commissioned in 2038.

As a symbol of "determination" and "commitment," the aircraft carrier is a powerful military and diplomatic tool. Macron emphasized: "Our seas have become a new stage for conflict, and this will be even more evident in the future." He reiterated: "To have freedom, one must first be feared; to be feared, one must first be strong."

Macron said: "I want to place our future carrier within the lineage of General de Gaulle. The spirit of France is a spirit of resistance, a will that cannot be stopped."

Therefore, Macron chose the name "Liberté de France" to honor the thousands of people who refused to accept the defeat, occupation, and collaboration with the enemy in June 1940. Macron said: "This name carries the memory of those who stood up against barbarism, united to save their country, and resolutely defended the unique spiritual ideals of our nation. They were our comrades in the fight to liberate our country." (Translated by Yang Xinpeng, Liu Zhuo)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7619566756960502308/

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