Two carriers are the proposed absolute minimum, with three recommended for a dependable rotation and four to keep one ready despite unexpected failures. France already applies similar numbers elsewhere, with three Mistral amphibious ships and four ballistic-missile submarines. Its two Horizon frigates illustrate another shortage: adapted FREMMs can provide air defence, but their general-purpose and anti-submarine design is judged less suitable for demanding air-defence work. A two-carrier plan can promise continuous availability on paper and still leave gaps when complex equipment fails. The experience of Clemenceau and Foch, and of the British Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales, supports the argument for spare hulls.
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Why a carrier force needs spare hulls
Charles de Gaulle is judged a sensible French investment whose main strategic weakness is the absence of another carrier to cover maintenance and unexpected failures.