Is France ready to face a "high intensity" war?
With the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the subject has returned to the agenda.
In July, the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, the Navy, the Army and the Air and Space Force were heard by the new Defense Commission of the National Assembly, the minutes of which were published in early August.
Among the many topics discussed, emphasis was placed on the capabilities of the French army to deal with this type of conflict.
To discover
Follow information on the war in Ukraine with the Figaro application
For several decades, France has been confronted with what are called asymmetric wars: a state army facing so-called “
insignificant
” combatants, such as terrorists driving around in pick-ups in the Sahelian desert.
High intensity corresponds to "
a sustained confrontation between masses of aggressive maneuvers whose objective is to defeat the power of the adversary
", explained in 2020 the army.
And "
our ability to be an expeditionary force does not instantly make us capable of conducting a high-intensity war
", declared the Chief of the Defense Staff, Thierry Burkhard, on July 13 in front of the deputies.
Insufficient material
Several weaknesses have been raised by the various Chiefs of Defense Staff.
If recent years have been marked by progress, such as the Scorpion program or the commissioning of the SNLE (nuclear ballistic missile submarine) Suffren, the means are still too few or outdated, have indicated the heads of staff, thus calling for an increase in the defense budget allocated within the framework of the military programming law (LPM) -
expenditure that the French State devotes to its armed forces - in
progress (2019-2025 ).
Ammunition is in short supply, according to Army Chief of Staff Pierre Schill.
Here, French soldiers during NATO exercises in Estonia in February 2022. AFP
As far as the army is concerned, the quantity of equipment and ammunition is lacking, explained its chief of staff.
Pierre Schill explained to the deputies that it was "
necessary to reinvest in the scheduled maintenance of equipment, to replenish stocks to improve activity
".
He cited in particular "
the excellent information report on preparation for high intensity, published at the start of the year by the commission, (which) recommended increasing the potential of land equipment, in particular by building up stocks of sufficient spare parts.
"Among the means to be strengthened, he also cited"
ground-to-air defense capabilities, drones, fires in depth, information and communication systems, intelligence or means of crossing
”.
Read alsoIn the Sahel, the post-Barkhane period has begun
Since 1996 an air base has been closed every year, recalled the chief of staff of the air force Frédéric Parisot.
Here, a French Air Force A400M lands at the Saint-Sauveur base in the east in September 2021. AFP
On the Air and Space Force side, Major General Frédéric Parisot recalled that since 1996 one air base has been closed per year and that the number of personnel fell by 30% during the military programming law of 2014-2019. .
An “
effort
” which he considers
“excessive”
and which he calls for
“rebalancing”.
Today, the Air Force only has 195 fighter planes (against 750 fighter planes 36 years ago).
"No doubt we should aim for a floor of 225 aircraft in order to be able to calmly fulfill our missions"
, he also defended.
"
The fights of frigates with missiles fall within the fight of fencing
", according to Admiral Pierre Vandier.
Here,
the
La Fayette frigate off Syria in October 2020. AFP
The French Navy is experiencing the same mass problem.
"
Since 1945, the navy has never been as small as it is today
," warned Admiral Pierre Vandier in turn.
She will continue to see "
her height decrease for the next two years
", he predicts.
According to him, “
air superiority is essential because it is always easier to risk an aircraft than a cruiser.
It is effective when one is able to send a Rafale 1,000 nautical miles – 2,000 kilometers – from an aircraft carrier to threaten an opposing fleet, with a measured risk.
Frigate fights with missiles are, for their part, fencing combat: it is the most agile, the fastest and the best defended who wins,
Threats are growing
The risk of a large-scale conflict has been part of military plans for several years.
“
Threats are increasing and acting out, as in Ukraine, is a reality, even in Europe
,” notes the Chief of the Defense Staff.
He adds: “
The mission of the armies remains unchanged.
It is to protect France and the French.
We must therefore continue to adapt the terms of the equation to shape the army that France needs.
None of this is a discovery, but since the war in Ukraine we have seen a real acceleration.
There is an immediate challenge to stay in step with the evolution of the conflictuality.
»
Read alsoEmmanuel Macron wants to intensify the defense effort until 2030
The decision to increase the defense budget accordingly dates from the previous five-year term.
The 2019-2025 military programming law has been respected.
But
"we must intensify our efforts"
and
"continue until 2030",
insisted Emmanuel Macron.
"The budget will not decrease,"
he added.
In 2023, the defense budget is expected to increase by 3 billion euros to reach 44 billion euros.
The level of inflation and the economic need to maintain deficits, however, make the equation almost impossible.
