Pa 2

Pa 2 ( Aircraft carriers 2 , in Future English CVF FR for Carrier Vessel French , is the provisional name of the program of Porte-avions French which should be built on the basis of British CVF, of the Royal Navy. It would allow the French National marine to permanently lay out again in horizon 2015 of a air and sea Groupe projectable.

History

The format of the French air and sea group under discussion

The format of the air and sea Group French with at least 2 aircraft carriers, as it was the case of 1946 with 1997, always raised in this country of the polemics political, financial, even of doctrines. Since 1949, in the context of the Cold war, the admiral Pierre Barjot recommends two or three light aircraft carriers instead of a heavy combat aircraft carrier then six light aircraft carriers of the type Georges Clémenceau of 18.500 tons. Fine decree 1949, the project is transformed into two light aircraft carriers of 22.000 tons, which are launched in 1955. Both sisterships will be the '' Clemenceau '' (R98) and the '' Foch '' (R99). In 1973, the question of their replacement is in the center of a " bleu" plan; aiming at equipping the French National marine in 1981 with 2 aircraft carriers of 18.400 tons to propulsion nuclear (the pH 75) to replace the aircraft carrier '' Arromanches '' (R95), used then for the drive and décommissionné in 1974. Both pH 75 were to operate aircraft s.t.o.l with the assistance of a springboard. The pH 75 (which will re-appear strongly modified in 1997 under the term of general-purpose Buildings of intervention, future Classe Mistral), is cancelled in 1980. With final, only the two aircraft carriers with nuclear propulsion (Pa 75) are retained: the Brittany , whose service entrance is planned for 1992 and its sistership the Provence . However, the ordering of the 1st building (famous Richelieu then '' Charles-of-Gaulle '') is returned to 1987 and 2nd will wait twenty-two years.

In fact, since 1997, the French National marine has nothing any more but one aircraft carrier, in fact a half aircraft carrier according to the words, in 2001, old President of the French Republic Valery Giscard d'Estaing, since the building is operational only 57-60% of time, is 200 days of sea per annum. Since July 30th 2007 and until the beginning 2009, the French National marine does not have of it any more any in service due to repairs.

The French Sénat takes into account in 2000 the recent changes geostrategic and pleads for the operational startup of a second aircraft carrier. The availability of this second building has conditioned the overall coherence of the choices operated for the equipment of the Navy for several years: the additional investment necessary - of the order of 14 billion francs billion euros, note would give all its direction to the 70 billion billion euros, note already engaged for the construction of the '' Charles-of-Gaulle '' and the constitution of its air group in their ensuring a permanent availability .

Within the framework of the preparation of the White paper on the defense and the national security, which will be published in March 2008, of the reflections are born as for “a scenario post- Mahan IEN of permanent projection”: Pa 2 would be built, the number of FREMM class Aquitaine and of SNA Classe Suffren reduced. According to Joseph Henrotin, such a positioning is perfectly in phase with the French presidential proposal to implement the principle of the co-operations reinforced at the European plan, mode of decision that the observers of PESD regard as one of the most inclined factors to support the development of the European policy of Defense. This scenario imposes to re-examine the total diagram of the French presence in the protection of the lines of communication to privilege an approach of projection which would allow, if necessary, to take again position along the line Europe - Asia (enclosed between the bases of Djibouti and the Meeting) or to girdle the Asia (between the Meeting and the Polynésie.

The problem of the choice of the propulsion

One 2nd French nuclear aircraft carrier?

The report/ratio of the Sénat of 2000 recalls that the budgetary and operational constraints encourage to build a building which is nearest possible '' Charles-of-Gaulle '' but relativizes at once the idea of sistership to nuclear propulsion for various reasons:

the duration passed between the two programs would not make it possible to profit from the advantages of the effect of series or “communability” (staff training and, adaptation reduced maintenances) from which benefitbenefitted the Clémenceau and the '' Foch '', conceived on the same levels and brought into service at only 19 month of interval;
skimped dimensions of the '' Charles-of-Gaulle '' on the level its length, which will require a lengthening of the oblique bridge, as on the level of the surface of its bridge already do not allow the simultaneous landing and the catapult-launching of aircraft ( catapo ) and would have, according to the French Senate, being increased;
the financial and logistic heaviness of the nuclear propulsion (the “ownership cost”) as well as the constraints associated with hardening of the Munition S (the “muratisation”) could be re-examined with the profit of a traditional propulsion “very electric”.

A report/ratio of the French National Assembly of 2003, which intervenes a few months after the advertisement of the presidential wish of a collaboration binationale on an aircraft carrier derived from the CVF, does not completely evacuate the idea of a sistership derived from the '' Charles-of-Gaulle ''. In addition, while seeming to privilege a nuclear alternative of aircraft carrier of: 50000-: 55000 tons known as aircraft carrier “wraps” studied by DCN and Technicatome (subsidiary company of Areva), this publication mainly refutes the arguments of the Senate and fact of visu his the options of supposed nuclear Lobby French:

of other navy, like the US Navy, chose to privilege reliability compared to modernity. Moreover, the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique French affirms that the “communability” of this building with the '' Charles-of-Gaulle '' could be 90%;
the need for carrying out catapo would be exceptional and it is already possible on the '' Charles-of-Gaulle '' to delay a landing or a three minutes takeoff to the maximum to mitigate an urgency;
the costs of construction and possession of a nuclear building compared to a ship with traditional propulsion would not be so high only that (1,83 billion euros for construction according to DCN; from 13 to 19% of more for the possession according to DG A). Who more is, this formula would offer the advantage of a strategic mobility.

An aircraft carrier with traditional propulsion?

With Strategic Review Defense (SDR) of July 1998, the ministry for British Defense (the U.K. MOD) “suggests” in Royal Navy (RN) obtaining at the horizon 2012 - 2015 two aircraft carriers who could have a displacement of: 30000-: 40000 tons and would be able to deploy to 50 aircraft, including helicopters and the three aircraft carriers of the class Invincible with vocation primarily anti underwater would replace (ASV). As of 1999, " the authorities françaises" submit to their equivalent British a co-operation on the project. An work group (Future Carrier Working Group) is established while more thorough discussions continue between the General delegation for the armament (DGA) French and Defense British Procurement Agency (DPA) on the configuration of the buildings of the Royal Navy.

And due. Not only the British engineers lost competences as regards conventional aircraft carriers, but two of the four options contained in the SDR in connection with the Carrier Vessel Future () are compatible with the French preferences:

the version Catapult Assisted Take-Off Drank Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR or CTOL) similar to that of the French and American aircraft carriers (catapults, bits of stop and oblique bridge or).
the version Short Takeoff Drank Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) with bits of stop, oblique bridge, springboard ( ski-jump ) but without catapult.

Nevertheless, according to the report/ratio of the Senate of 2000, choice note of the fighter (FCBA or Future Carrier Limits Aircraft) and of the air aircraft of guet (FOAEW or Future Organic Airborne Early Warning Aircraft) will be determining to define the size, the shape and the characteristics of the future aircraft carrier. Moreover, in January 2001, option STOBAR is retoquée. At the beginning of July 2002, the Minister for French Defense approaches his counterpart and officially a collaboration proposes to him on project CVF with for goal to build these aircraft carriers for the two navy (2 for Royal Navy, 1 for the National marine). In September, option CATOBAR passes to the oubliettes. On this date, the four options were thus eliminated. However, one 5th “adaptable” version STOVL, preserving spaces necessary to establish with semi-life catapults and bits of stop, is retained and opens thus a concrete perspectice of collaboration binationale.

It should be noted that the report/ratio of the National Assembly of 2003 evokes a French offer of a consortium gathering EADS, Thalès, DCN and Alstom (via its building sites of the Atlantic) of a building CATOBAR of: 55000 tons with traditional propulsion (by pods or gas turbine), which will hardly be taken into account.

Divide industrial

Studies

In February 2003, at the conclusion of the 25e Franco-British Summit of Touquet, placed under the commemoration the Harmony, the president of the French Republic is made the echo of the great satisfaction of the French authorities concerning the decision of the British authorities concerning the construction of the two British aircraft carriers, since it is an agreement between BAe and Thalès which will make it possible to build these aircraft carriers. And to specify in the name of the France that we immediately will carry out the studies allowing to see whether we could not associate to us with this construction of the two aircraft carriers, given that to build three units is naturally more interesting on the economic plan and financier that to build two or one of them. A little later the Minister for British Defense wants to be more circumspect and evokes potential a future co-operation on the information exchange and recalls to have provided to France of basic information on design CVF, note in order to help it to decide better way to follow for its own project.

Two options are then considered for the 2nd French aircraft carrier:

Franco-British project CVF FR of Thalès

The UK trial, which begin on January 25th 1999 on a competing basis between Thalès and BAe Systems is continued since January 30th 2003 in collaboration, are bought by the French National marine. Version CTOL from Thalès presented beginning 2003 is thus very close to that of the CVF, with the difference which it has an oblique bridge instead of two tracks converging towards the springboard. The configuration with two small islands, associated of two elevators of 70 tons load is already present and allows, according to Thalès, to reduce the print of the superstructures, the compatibility issues between electronics components and, especially, to release from space on the flight deck. Concerning this last point, the number of exits is promised like high (up to 120 per day with capacity catapo ) thanks to rotations automated and of the robotized hangards controlled by computer. In June 2003, Thalès exposes to the 45e International fair of the aeronautics and the space of Paris-Le Bourget a first model of version CTOL proposed in France, which differs already from the British version by its radars. Another model, visible in Euronaval 2004, is marked by the suppression of the pods. In June 2005, project CVF FR presents a displacement of: 65000-: 70000 tons, a 283 meters length and a water beam of 73 meters with two small islands and a speed of 26,5 knots for an autonomy from 8.000 to 10.000 marine miles with 15 nodes. It would implement forty aircraft (32 Rafale, 3 Hawkeye and 5 NH90)

The French project Romeo/Juliette of the DCN

During the summer 2003, DCN works with a concept of nuclear aircraft carrier derived from Charles de Gaulle answering, according to the report/ratio of the National Assembly “with 99% of the objectives formulated by the Navy, is 422 out of 426”, except notable for the capacities catapo , of landing by sea of force 6 and launching of decked of twenty planes. Only the reduction with: 1 050 then 900 sailors (against: 1 200 for CDG ) would be accessible. A sight of artist of the French project Romeo is published in a 2004 then model of its successor the project Juliette is exposed to Euronaval 2004. This configuration approaches more of CDG than the British CVF since the building has only one small island (certainly moved towards the poop and frayed with the back) and surrounded by two elevators of 70 tons load. In September 2004, the project Juliette presents a displacement of: 59000 tons, a 284 meters length and a water beam of 72 meters with a small island and a speed of 27 knots for an autonomy of 10.000 marine miles with 15 nodes. It would implement forty aircraft (32 Rafale, 3 Hawkeye and 5 NH90). With believing the Minister for French Defense of it one month later, the concept remains of topicality, the project Romeo does not have vocation to be an alternative to British project CVF, and reciprocally. These two projects evolve/move within a national framework and must meet different needs.

Conventional propulsion selected

Hoped for in June 2003, a press release February of the Elysium of February 2004 confirms the choice of the traditional propulsion for the 2nd French aircraft carrier (Pa 2), which offers an answer perfectly adapted to the operational needs for the decades to come and opens the best prospects for co-operation with the United Kingdom. In December 2004, MO PA2, a company common to DCN and Thalès (65% DCN, 35% Thalès) is created. 167 million euros was already allocated being studied of definition on the budget French 2005 (for total costs which could reach 700 million euros).

The binational project retained

According to the declarations of the leaders of DGA like MO PA2, these studies continue in spring and the summer 2005 and conclude with a communability of 85% between the CVF and the CVF-FR (in particular including the hull, the machines and the buildings life). Nevertheless, the French requirements (installation of the hangars avia, increase in the capacity of the fuel compartments for more frequent exits, the installation of a system of command for a force amphibian and Naval Aviation based on a French system, the such SENIT 9) start to aggravate on the other side of the channel. In September, the Minister for British Defense, assisting with the construction of the national destroyer Standard 45 resulting from a collaboration fallen through with the France and the Italy, declares that the program cannot be delayed or returned more expensive to join the French criteria and adds that the French made proposals but that will depend if they can give us a better calendar. In the tread, Jean-Marie Poimboeuf, CEO of DCN reassure the British authorities by affirming that our conclusion is that the British design is compatible with the operational needs for the French navy. If it is chosen, we will make just some adaptations. The contract of development and realization will not have passed before 2006 or 2007 and thus, the production will not begin before 2008 or 2009. The project of Thalès is finally adopted in December 2005 after the signing of a contract relay, launching the phase of studies detailed for an amount of 20 million euros. A sight of artist of the CVF FR of August 2006 proposes a design somewhat different from that of its British counterpart, whereas the costs became a problem. The model exposed to the living room Euronaval 2006 watch a new modification of the radar installations. Other sights, one of March 2007 reveals a hull modified in order to increase speed; the other of June 2007 sees the radar Thalès Herakles being moved front small island with the back small island.

Development

The Minister for French Defense, in opening of Euronaval 2006, affirms its ambition to make this program as irreversible as possible before the French presidential election of April 2006. The minister specifies that the finance bill 2007 registers 700 million euros for the development of the PA2 and sees a government badly giving up the sums invested for nothing. It is in the sense that one can speak about irreversibility. Considered in January 2007 at the latest on March 29th (completion date of the British parliamentary session), an advertisement bilatétale, even the signature of the File of launching and realization (DLR) French, which sees the approval of the plans of construction of the CVF FR, does not take place. After some hesitations, this ultimate stage before the notification of the contract was to intervene in November 2007, that is to say at the time of the point of stage concerning new the White paper on defense and the national security. According to the press kit of the budget of defense for 2008, however, a decision of principle on the construction of the second aircraft carrier was made. The conditions of implementation of this decision will be adopted within sight of work of White paper and its publication in March 2008 could thus await. In addition, the annual project of performance specifies that the amount of commitment appropriations of 3 billion euros constitutes a provision. The final levels of the amounts of the functional section of realization and engagement necessary to the contract of realization will be given, at the conclusion of the works in progress implying the British partner and industry, during the launching of the stage of realization of the program .

Construction

The two CVF are built separately in 5 super-blocks. In December 2005, the MOD announces the division enters 4 different building sites, that is to say the “Carrier Alliance”. Block 1 (the prow with springboard) will be built by with Rosyth, block 2 (more 2 small islands) by (VT) with Portsmouth, block 3 by BAe Systems Submarine with Barrow-in-Furness, blocks 4 and 5 by BAe Systems Surface Fleet with Govan (with the assistance of the building site of Scotstoun) and the integration carried out by with Portsmouth. It is then hoped that the CVF FR either built in entirety in France by Aker Yards (ex-Building sites of the Atlantic) with Saint-Nazaire and by DCNS with Brest.

French delays and reversal

Nevertheless and because of the drift of the costs, between May 2005 and November 2007, an option makes surface on the French side regularly and proposes, in addition to the premium with the economies allocated by the MOD with its industrialists, that each building site builds the blocks for three buildings instead of two. Thus, BAe Systems would lose the construction of blocks 2 and 3 with the profit of Aker Yards and DCNS in Brest and that of block 1. The spokesperson of the ministry for British Defense declares in May 2007 that this proposal a direction had. It is the intelligent manner to do it. Nevertheless, on November 14th 2007, the Minister for French Defense Herve Morin announces in front of the National Assembly that on the construction of the hull, there will be no co-operation with the British. They decided to launch their construction schedule of two aircraft carriers and benefit from it to restructure their shipyards. Against the logic which prevailed hitherto, the minister adds that the absence of co-operation on the hulls will make it possible if necessary the France to re-examine part of the design of Pa 2 and to realize savings thus… Finally, one thus returns to the option of 2005: Aker Yards ensures starting from 2009 the cutting of first sheet of the hull for a completion envisaged in February 2012 and DCNS the weapon for a delivery in 2014.

Characteristics

As regards the “communability”, on November 15th 2007, DCNS and Aker Yards sign an agreement with BAE Systems, Thalès the U.K. and which provides that the six signatories will consult each other on opportunity of buying together the systems of combat or communications, the radars, the conventional motorization of these three ships and the maintenance of the two projects.

Propulsion

It results from this that the proposal, fine 2003, of Thalès to use the same propulsion for the CVF and Pa 2 would be confirmed, that is to say 2 turbines Rolls Royce plc MT-30. Of 4th generation, the MT-30 delivers 36 MW of unit power within a system COmbined Diesel eLectric Or Gas (CODLOG) having 4 diesel engines providing to the 4 pods electricity necessary to the evolutions at low speed, while the gas turbines are used for the evolutions at high speed. Would thus move away quoted by General Electric at the beginning of November 2006 and concerning 4 turbines LM2500+G4 (still to develop) but already selected for the Franco-Italian frigates FREMM.

Pont d' take-off

The increase capacitaire in the Pa 2, conditioned already by the surface of sound Flight deck of: 15700 m ², which halfway place it between that of the '' CDG '' (: 12000 m ²) and that of the class Nimitz (: 21000 m ²), found the utility of Pa 2 like “instrument of power” by having obvious operational advantages: the possibility “catapo” and the use of two catapults S with vapor C-13 MOD. 2 of 90 meters, similar to those of the American aircraft carriers currently in service. They allow the launching of heavily armed aircraft of 4th generation (the such Dassault Rafale F3) every 30 seconds (that is to say a salvo of 24 planes in 12 minutes) at a speed of more than 277 km/h. For the landing, the flight deck also includes/understands 3 bits of stop Mark 7 MOD. 4.

Hangar and avia installations

The surface of the hangar is announced as similar to that of the '' CDG '' (either: 4700 m ² against: 4600), although the aircraft are there currently with the narrow one. An aeronautical zone of maintenance, various workshops and aeronautical stores authorize the complete maintenance of the aircraft, traditional on the French aircraft carriers. The installations of fuelling in Carburant aviation (of the Kerosene JP-5) are of 5 million liters.

Interworking NATO

Connection 11, Connection 16 and Connection 22

Around the ship

Books

the work of the captain Bernard Prézelin, Fleets of combat 2006 , Editions maritime and of overseas, Rennes, 2005 has been for more than 100 years a " usuel" impossible to circumvent. The edition 2008 will appear in October 2007.

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