US, France start formal talks to trade aircraft carrier tech

SEA AIR SPACE 2023 (Agencies): The US Navy has opened a foreign military sales case with its French counterpart to potentially facilitate the sale of two key advanced systems used onboard Ford-class aircraft carriers, according to the officer overseeing the American ships.

The two systems are the electromagnetic aircraft launch system and the advanced arresting gear, both produced by General Atomics. EMALs and AAG are integral to getting planes off deck and back safely more frequently. That tempo, known as sortie generation rate, is one of the most important metrics for a carrier.

“There is an active case for the French to potentially procure EMALS and AAG for their next aircraft carrier. That case is managed mostly by [Naval Air Systems Command],” Capt. Brian Metcalf, the program executive officer for aircraft carriers, said on Tuesday during the Sea Air Space exposition. “On my side of it, I help NAVAIR and the French Navy on the ship integration of that system. How will it get built into the aircraft carrier?”

During EuroNaval 2022 in October the French unveiled its new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, designed by France’s Naval Group and dubbed the Porte Avion Nouvelle Génération, or PANG. The ship will be 82,673 tons, 1,017 feet long and 279 feet at the widest point of the carrier deck.

A French Armed Forces official told Breaking Defense during the European show that the ship’s design was made with interoperability with the United States in mind. Since France lacks a manufacturer capable of producing the catapults and arrestors used on Ford, it will be critical that they be US-made and sold through the foreign military sales process.

That process, to the chagrin of many Pentagon officials past and present, is a long one and culminates with necessary green lights from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the Pentagon organization charged with overseeing foreign arms sales, the State Department and, of course, lawmakers.

It’s unlikely any of them would block a close ally, such as France, from receiving critical components for its carrier, but it doesn’t mean the process can be short-circuited.

In the meantime, Metcalf, the US Navy officer overseeing the Ford-class program, said French sailors will likely have opportunities to train onboard the American warship while the PANG takes shape.

“We’ve got exchange programs that have officers and … one of the conversations of topics recently was getting more French sailors some onboard experience on Ford. That’ll happen probably as a natural progression of our allied relationship with that,” said Metcalf.