french army's urgent call: boost artillery and defense now
The newspaper "Le Figaro" has evaluated that the French army possesses most of the necessary resources but in insufficient quantities. Experts cited by the newspaper suggest that additional defense funds should be allocated to increase ammunition supplies and strengthen rocket artillery systems.
According to the newspaper, the initial additional financial resources will enable the acceleration of already planned deliveries, which include ammunition, vehicles under the Scorpion program (involving universal wheeled vehicles for the military), and optoelectronic systems for naval frigates. However, the French army's list of needs is much more extensive. It is worth mentioning that, according to French analysts, the precision aerial ammunition would only last Paris for three days of fighting.
The French army needs to strengthen its artillery
In "Le Figaro," it was emphasized that France urgently needs to strengthen its long-range rocket artillery. The newspaper underlined the importance of modernizing rocket systems while noting that the LCM cruise missile produced by MBDA will not be ready soon, despite its potential range of up to 620 miles. Shortages of key weapons are not just a French problem. As reported in WP Tech, military expert Carlo Masala stated in an interview with ZDF that, in the event of war, German Patriots would only be able to defend Berlin.
Paris has considered purchasing ready-made weapons, including American HIMARS systems, but "Le Figaro" noted that the geopolitical situation has changed, making this option less attractive than it seemed several months ago.
The flagship product of the French defense industry is the CAESAR (CAmion Équipé d’un Système d’ARtillerie) howitzer, which uses 155 mm caliber shells. Its 52-caliber length barrel provides a range greater than competing NATO artillery. However, production scale is an issue. In 2024, the French company Nexter aims to produce 12 howitzers per month (in previous years, production was only a few units per year).
Ambitious plans of the French army in several important areas
Another critical area for France is financing the ELSA program, which concerns European land-based weapons with a range exceeding 620 miles. "Le Figaro" also noted that if France and other European countries plan to deploy their troops in Ukraine, they will need to equip themselves with ground-to-air defense systems, which are currently available in limited quantities.
- "The next priority areas are 'reconnaissance and space,'" said Elie Tenenbaum, head of the Ifri think tank, to the newspaper.
"In the short term, the armed forces aim to enhance their capabilities in the digital sphere, necessary for the command process, or in the area of electronic warfare, rather than placing orders for large objects like additional aircraft carriers, which would take years to deliver. Nonetheless, the navy and air forces hope to benefit from increasing the armed forces' potential. Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu opened the debate on expanding the fighter fleet. The issue of increasing the number of first-rank frigates from the current 15 to 18 was also discussed," "Le Figaro" detailed.
New fighters and mysterious frigates
Lecornu mentioned plans to acquire 20-30 Rafale aircraft and three frigates of an unspecified type for the navy.
The Rafale is regarded as one of the best combat aircraft globally. Its design offers excellent maneuverability at both low and high speeds. It is armed with a 30 mm caliber gun and can carry over 10 tons of armament, including various missiles and bombs.
