Aircraft Carrier   Europe   Military Aircraft Procurement   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Defense Policy  
Bloomberg • Kavita Mokha

France launches PA-NG carrier 'France Libre' — 78,000‑ton nuclear warship with 3 EMALS and 40+ aircraft, due 2038

President Emmanuel Macron has launched construction of France’s next‑generation nuclear aircraft carrier, the PA‑NG named France Libre (Free France), at Naval Group’s Nantes‑Indret yard. The 78,000‑ton ship, due in service 2038, will replace Charles de Gaulle and feature three EMALS catapults and capacity for 40+ aircraft.

Also: Naval News and Army Recognition
2026-03-18T10:29:04.272055-07:00
Dassault Aviation   Europe   Military Aircraft Procurement   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Defense Policy  
AeroTime • Clement Charpentreau

France’s Rafale Dispersal Plan: Is the Air Force Ready to Deliver Forward Nuclear Deterrence?

By AeroTime: President Emmanuel Macron’s forward nuclear deterrence relies on rapidly dispersing Rafale jets throughout Europe. For years, France's Air Force has been quietly laying the groundwork.

2026-03-18T07:01:05.586621-07:00
UAV Development & Drone Programs   AI   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Asia-Pacific (APAC)  
FlightGlobal • Greg Waldron

MHI and Shield AI demonstrate rapid Hivemind integration in Japanese autonomous drone trials

By FlightGlobal: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Shield AI have completed autonomous flight tests in Japan following rapid integration of Hivemind autonomy software into MHI's prototype drone, demonstrating coordinated manoeuvres and learning capabilities in under two months.

Also: Aviation Week and asdnews.com
2026-03-18T05:18:42.249100-07:00