In a truly brave increase in French armaments programs, the Macron government decided on the financial support of French armaments programs amounting to 400 billion euros for the period 2024 to 2030. In the period 2019-2025 the French republic spent about 295 billion euros on armaments programs of the French armed forces.
The main axes of the French armament programs, according to what the French president stated, are the following:
1. Strengthening the French nuclear deterrent
2. The improvement of funds of intelligence services. Specifically, he referred to a 60% increase in military Intelligence spending for the period 2024-2030.
3. The upgrade of French strategic, tactical and operational observation capabilities with emphasis on UAVs
4. The ability to deal with cyber security threats and cyber attacks
5. Doubling reserve forces (apparently referring to ground forces)
6. The ability of the French armed forces to conduct high-intensity combat operations
7. The transition to the Rafale and the total replacement of the existing Mirages that the French Air Force has
8. The vertical strengthening of the self-protection and anti-missile defense of the ships of the French Navy
9. Accelerating construction of new French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Charles De Gaulle replacement
10. The multi-dimensional and multi-layered air and anti-ballistic defense of the French armed forces as a whole
11. The operational upgrade of the means and capabilities of anti-submarine operations of the French navy.
The French president declared at the end of today’s ceremony that the above actions are necessary for the French armed forces, while all of the above armament programs announced by Macron will be undertaken by the French defense industry. He specifically noted that from an economic point of view, 413 billion euros will be allocated to achieve the aforementioned armament goals.
“The Military Planning Law reflects the country’s efforts for its armed forces and these efforts will be proportionate to the risks, that is, significant,” the French president said at the Mont-de-Marssan air base in southwestern France as he delivered the message to the French forces for the New Year. “France has and will have armed forces suitable for the challenges of the century,” said the French president. France must prepare for a new era, an era of accumulating risks. Some are old wars, others are unprecedented, “between cutting edge technology and barbaric simplicity.”
Next steps are the parliamentary debate and the passing of the budget in the French parliament.
It is an unprecedented French armament counterattack that revives days of armament and defense mobility of European countries during the Cold War period. It also reminds that France acts decisively in order to become the dominant geopolitical and geostrategic player of the European Union, making the country a leader in the European defense and diplomatic edifice.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine seems to be waking up the countries of the European Union that had been left in the grip of NATO’s police operations in the Middle East rather than the conduct of high-intensity and conventional military operations in the old continent.
