What is your opinion of the proposed French carrier using three propeller shafts?
Short answerThree shafts are a sensible choice for PA-NG's intended power and speed, even though four shafts remain the preferred arrangement in this assessment.
NotesThree shafts are a sensible propulsion choice for the proposed French carrier. Shaft technology has improved enough for some large ships to perform well on two, while additional shafts can help deliver more power to the water and support higher speed. The comparison places the two-shaft Queen Elizabeth class below the four-shaft American supercarriers in ambition and describes PA-NG as a powerful intermediate design. In that assessment, France could obtain substantial speed and operational flexibility without matching an American supercarrier's size. Four shafts remain a personal preference, although the French proposal is considered sensible.