France is set to begin construction of a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday.

"In times of aggression, we must be strong to be feared. I have decided to equip France with a new aircraft carrier," Macron was quoted as saying by French media at a Christmas event at a French military base in the United Arab Emirates.

With a displacement of around 80,000 tons, the carrier will be almost twice as heavy as its predecessor, the Charles de Gaulle.

At 310 metres long and 85 metres wide, it is designed to accommodate 30 fighter jets and 2,000 crew members.

Construction is estimated to cost up to €10 million ($11.7 million). The carrier is expected to be operational from 2038, Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin said on X.

France is the only country besides the US that owns a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The Charles de Gaulle was commissioned in 2001.