Symbolic of a military strategy for France and Europe that will necessarily put the accent on space and the oceans to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century, the question of aircraft carriers is still generally misunderstood within France’s defence community. The reasons put forward for deferring a decision on the second carrier are not the fundamental ones. This issue has to be revisited to prepare for the decision in 2011 and avoid making a mistake like the decision on the Maginot Line.
