Macron unveils name of new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday unveiled the name of France's future aircraft carrier as "Free France" during a visit to the western city of Nantes, where key components of the vessel will be manufactured, reported Xinhua.

Macron described a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier as indispensable to France's nuclear deterrence. He said the new vessel will guarantee the country's "independence for the decades to come," stressing that without a strong defense industry, France will face "military dependence, strategic vassalization and economic subordination."

The new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, scheduled to enter service in 2038, will cost nearly 10 billion euros (11.5 billion U.S. dollars), Macron noted, adding that the project will create jobs, benefit domestic companies and support the development of the country's defense industry.

The future aircraft carrier is intended to replace the existing nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which was named after French president and general Charles de Gaulle and commissioned in 2001.

According to French channel BFM TV, the new vessel will have a displacement of around 77,000 tonnes, compared with about 42,000 tonnes of the Charles de Gaulle.

While addressing French armed forces stationed in the United Arab Emirates in December last year, Macron announced the launch of development and construction work on the French Navy's future aircraft carrier, a move he described as a decisive step to reinforce the country's maritime power.