Emmanuel Macron, President of France, confirmed his plans to build a larger and'more modern' aircraft carrier to replace the Charles de Gaulle carrier. This will boost France as a maritime superpower.

Macron, who first touted these plans in 2020 was speaking to troops at a French base in Abu 'Dhabi, located near the Strait of Hormuz - a critical chokepoint for global oil flow.

Macron announced that the decision to launch such a vast program was made this week. He added that he hoped this project would boost France's industrial base in particular, small and medium-sized enterprises.

Catherine Vautrin, the Army minister, said on X the new vessel will enter service around 2038. This is when the Charles de Gaulle should be retired. The vessel was put into service in 2001, 15 years after its?commissioning.

Several French politicians from the center and moderate left recently suggested that the project to build a new aircraft carriers be delayed due to the strained state finances in France.

France is still one of Europe's top military powers, and one of just five countries with nuclear weapons. (Reporting and editing by Gareth Jones, Tassilo Humble)

(source: Reuters)