A draft military planning bill reveals that France intends to expand its missile and drone inventories by up to 400% by 2030. Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have highlighted the rapid rate of ammunition consumption in high-intensity warfare. Paris is now allocating billions of euros to boost existing stockpiles and replace air defense missiles launched by its air force in the Persian Gulf to counter Iranian drone attacks.
"The most urgent need, of course, is ammunition," French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu recently told lawmakers.
The French government is set to unveil an updated military planning bill on April 8, outlining plans to invest 8.5 billion euros in drone and missile programs by 2030. This multi-year financial framework specifies objectives for weapons procurement and research and development.
The 64-page draft states, "This effort is reflected in the growth of orders and deliveries, as well as the adaptation of industrial infrastructure through co-financing of priority capacities. These measures are being advanced with the aim of building a 'war economy' system."
Since 2022, most European countries have been racing to enhance their defense capabilities, investing tens of billions of euros in armaments. This trend has accelerated amid concerns that a potential re-election of Donald Trump as U.S. President could lead to Washington's withdrawal from NATO or a broader reduction in its security guarantees for Europe.
The French military planning law projects defense expenditures of 63.3 billion euros in 2027, 68.3 billion euros in 2028, 72.8 billion euros in 2029, and 76.3 billion euros in 2030. While the bill must be approved by parliament, specific annual budgets still require legislative approval each year, and capability targets need to be translated into contracts by arms procurement agencies.
The targets for drones and missiles are particularly notable. France aims to increase its stockpile of loitering munitions, such as kamikaze drones, by 400%, guided AASM Hammer bombs produced by Safran by 240%, and Aster and Mica missiles manufactured by MBDA by 30%.
As the military planning law approaches the signing of new contracts, the French government and industry have exchanged accusations regarding insufficient large-scale weapons production. Arms manufacturers have blamed the government for inadequate orders, while the government expects manufacturers to invest in production tools before agreements are finalized.
A French official previously stated that arms manufacturers should be prepared for a significant surge in demand. Last week, MBDA CEO Éric Béranger told reporters that the missile maker would increase its production by 40% this year, including doubling the output of Aster missiles.
Additionally, Paris is considering the development of a new battle tank. The draft indicates that France will initiate a study to assess which model could succeed its current flagship tank, the Leclerc. This follows repeated calls from lawmakers and industry for the government to acknowledge potential delays in the Franco-German main battle tank program and to find an interim solution before the Leclerc vehicles are phased out in the late 2030s. "We must not waste 2026," French National Assembly defense committee member François Cormier-Bouligeon told reporters this week.
The draft also shows that Paris anticipates possible delays in the next-generation tank project jointly developed with Germany, despite government claims over recent months that the project was progressing smoothly.
Comments