French Air Force struggles with outdated tech and low ammo
The French Air Force operates modern Rafale aircraft, which have also been ordered by foreign clients. Although these aircraft are well-regarded, the capabilities of the French Air Force are limited by the absence of stealth aircraft. To make matters worse, the stockpile of aerial weapons is alarmingly low, sufficient for only several dozen hours of combat.
France is one of the few countries capable of independently producing almost all types of weapons — from intercontinental missiles and submarines to multirole aircraft, armored weaponry (currently without tanks), airborne cruise missiles, and hypersonic weapons. It is also one of two European NATO members with its own nuclear arsenal.
Despite this, the French armed forces face challenges, as highlighted in the latest report by the IFRI (Institut Français des Relations Internationales). Experts underscore serious issues affecting the French Air Force, known as the Armée de l’air.
Weaknesses of the Rafale aircraft
The first issue is the lack of 5th-generation aircraft. Although the French Rafale multirole aircraft, classified as generation 4+, are highly rated and continue to receive new export orders, IFRI points out that they lack stealth capabilities.
As a result, a growing gap is emerging between the capabilities of France's air force and those of countries — even allied ones — operating 5th-generation multirole aircraft. According to IFRI, this is beginning to affect various aspects, including the ability to penetrate enemy anti-access systems.
Insufficient precision ammunition
The second identified problem is the shortage of precision aerial ammunition reserves. France has very modern and highly regarded weapon systems like Meteor air-to-air missiles and SCALP air-to-ground missiles, but their stock is very limited.
For weapons used against ground targets, supplies would last for about three days of combat. Consequently, after depleting the precision ammunition, Rafale aircraft would be forced to use ordinary unguided bombs, putting them within the reach of numerous anti-aircraft systems.
The situation is even worse for air-to-air missiles. Although Meteor missiles are among the best in their class worldwide, the aerial ammunition would be expended after just a day of full-scale operations.
IFRI also notes that this problem is not new; it was evident during the airstrikes conducted by France on targets in Libya, where attacks had to be halted because the French air force ran out of precision weapons. Despite this, inventories were not replenished, and after part of the weapons were sent to Ukraine, they became even more depleted.
