On July 13th, France’s Parliament gave approval to President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to increase military spending by 413.3 billion Euros spread over a 7-year period of time. This significant boost in funding, which forms part of France’s 2024-2026 budget, was initially announced by the President in January. The decision to increase military expenditure by over one-third can arguably be attributed to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
As detailed by Henry Stewart in OVD, the French Ministry of Defense has released specific investment details for various sectors:
- Intelligence and counterintelligence: 5 billion Euros will be allocated for enhancing intelligence and counterintelligence capabilities.
- Overseas capabilities and initiatives: 13 billion Euros will be invested in bolstering overseas capabilities and initiatives.
- Drones: 5 billion Euros will be dedicated to drones, which include unmanned systems and remotely operated munitions (loitering munitions). Additionally, Airbus is currently developing the Eurodrone medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) for France, Spain, and Germany.
- Surface-to-air defense capabilities: 5 billion Euros will be utilized for strengthening surface-to-air defense capabilities.
- Munitions: 16 billion Euros will be allocated for munitions, including the modernization of long-range anti-ship missiles, F321 heavy torpedoes, and the development of new surface-to-air and air-to-air interceptors such as MBDA’s Aster-MICA and Meteor families.
- Maintenance in Operational Condition (MCO): 49 billion Euros will be dedicated to the maintenance in operational condition of all French armed forces.
- Innovative technology investments: 10 billion Euros will be invested in innovative technologies, including directed energy technology, swarming drones, and robotic capabilities.
- Space domain: 6 billion Euros will be allocated for the development of space-related capabilities.
- Cyber defense: 4 billion Euros will be invested in strengthening cyber defense measures.
France; Parliament approves € 413B. LPM 2024-2030 modernization program