One carrier provides a powerful capability only while that hull is worked up and available. The four-boat cycle used for continuous SSBN patrols clarifies why two carriers improve coverage but three offer a more robust minimum. Accidents, refits, and work-up delays can still leave a two-carrier fleet without a ready deck. PA2 sought a conventionally powered and potentially cheaper complement to the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle. It would also establish an alternating replacement cycle with Charles de Gaulle and its successors, preserving French carrier expertise and strategic continuity.
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PA2 and the operational value of a second carrier
PA2 sought a less expensive route to a second French carrier so maintenance cycles would not routinely eliminate the nation's carrier capability.