Nearly 200 meters long, these new generation tankers are able to embark 13000 m3 of diesel for frigates or kerosene for bursts. More 1500 tons of material. Later it will accompany the future aircraft carrier. These supply vessels are the only military boats to land regularly and to be able to bring fuel, food and ammunition to Navy ships.
The Jacques Chevallier launched this Friday is the first of a series of 4. “It represents a total of 8 million hours of work and work for 600 people for 8 years“, specifies Laurent Castaing general manager of Chantiers de l’Atlantique. A ship which will also be armed, “with guns and missiles” confides the CEO of Naval Group Pierre-Eric Pommelet. An emergency for the French Navy given the international context and the state of the troops because there are only 2 supply vessels left in service currently. A boat also eagerly awaited by the crew as his commander says: “Launching is a bit like the birth of the ship. And the boat for the sailors is their home, it’s their life. The crew is pawing with impatience”. We will have to wait a little longer, the Jacques Chevallier will be delivered in early 2023 and spend a few months in the harbor of Toulon.
The future aircraft carrier: studies have begun, construction in Saint-Nazaire for 2028
As to future aircraft carrier, “the very first studies have started in Lorient, the construction of the ship will take place in Saint-Nazaire around 2028 for delivery ten years later in 2038” says the CEO of Naval Group. The nuclear boiler room will be assembled by Naval Group and will go up the Loire, the shipyards will have to build the aircraft carrier around this boiler room. “There will be a total of 2,000 people working on this aircraft carrier when we are in the industrial phase”.