French military successfully tests upgraded nuclear-capable missile

Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced on Wednesday evening that the French army conducted a test of a new version of the ASMPA-R missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The missile, which did not carry a warhead, was launched by a Rafale fighter jet.

Minister Lecornu reported that the Strategic Air Force fighter jet carried out the test during a flight "over French territory." The head of the French defense department added in a statement that this test had been planned for a long time.

This statement indicates that the missile modernization program conducted by the General Directorate of Armament (DGA) has strengthened its parameters. The test aligns with the objectives set out in the military spending planning law (LPM) for 2024-30.

One objective is “to guarantee the credibility of the French deterrent system in the long term.”

The AFP agency reminds us that the LPM law defined nuclear deterrence as the basis of the country's defense, allocating 13 percent of military spending for its modernization and maintenance.