French requirements, procurement politics, and carrier depth

French naval aviation selects capabilities around French interests, institutions, and national culture. The resulting force is judged broadly successful, although reliance on Charles de Gaulle creates a persistent vulnerability. One carrier leaves no margin when the ship is unavailable, and even a two-carrier force can create gaps. Doctrine cannot solve that problem because carrier procurement depends on political agreement and treasury funding. A capable national aviation system can still be limited by force size and public finance.