Macron signals readiness for French nukes in Europe deployment

As reported by DW, Emmanuel Macron stated in an interview with TF1 television, "Americans have nuclear bombs on planes stationed in Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Turkey. We are also open to discussions on this topic. I will define a platform for such actions in the coming weeks or months."

Due to the declining interest of the USA in Europe, combined with the growing threat of a trade war, it's understandable that the American nuclear umbrella guarantees for European NATO countries are weaker than ever before. It's no surprise that another guarantor is being sought, and that guarantor is France.

It's worth noting that the French also have an interest in this, as developing and maintaining nuclear forces costs billions (almost 6 billion dollars annually) and constitutes a significant burden on the French defense budget (approximately 15 percent). It can be assumed that extending France's nuclear umbrella to the rest of the EU will involve sharing these costs.

France develops its nuclear potential independently, standing out in this respect in Europe. Although the United Kingdom also has nuclear weapons, its capabilities are largely dependent on the USA.

France, on the other hand, relies solely on its own technologies. During the Cold War, the country had a full nuclear triad, including land-based, sea-based, and air-based weapons. However, after withdrawing from the Albion Plateau silos and retiring the mobile Pluton and newly produced Hadès land launchers in the 1990s, Paris now focuses on intercontinental ballistic missiles on submarines and tactical nuclear weapons for aviation.

Additionally, the French doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons is very flexible, as it is based on protecting vaguely defined "vital interests," which can change over time. France does not limit itself to using nuclear weapons solely for defensive purposes but also allows for their one-time use as a final warning.

The strategic component of the French nuclear forces consists of Le Triomphant-class nuclear-powered submarines (Le Triomphant, Le Téméraire, Le Vigilant, and Le Terrible), which were commissioned between 1997 and 2010. National law mandates that two of them must always be combat-ready. Each of these units can carry 16 intercontinental ballistic missiles from the M45 or M51 family with a range of 5,000-6,200 miles and capable of carrying up to 10 TN 75 warheads with a yield of 150 kt.

Another, more flexible deterrent measure is the ASMP-A cruise missiles carried by Rafale aircraft. They are more advanced and easier to use than traditional nuclear bombs like the B61-12.

Introduced into service in 2009, the ASMP-A missiles are an advancement of the ASMP (Air-Sol Moyenne Portée) missiles used since 1986. The current variant has a range of about 310 miles.

These missiles, weighing almost 1,900 lbs and measuring 17.7 feet in length, feature a ramjet engine derived from MBDA Meteor missiles, which, unlike traditional solid-fuel rocket engines, draws oxygen from the air. This allows more space for fuel, significantly increasing the range.

However, the ramjet engine can only operate after accelerating to Mach 2 (around 1,520 mph), requiring a conventional rocket booster that is discarded after a few seconds. Subsequently, the ASMP-A reaches a speed of Mach 3 (around 2,300 mph), which greatly facilitates penetration through anti-aircraft defense systems.

Currently, the French are testing another version of the missile designated as ASMP-R, which will be used until the ASN4G missile (air-sol nucléaire de 4e génération) is completed. The ASN4G is expected to reach hypersonic speeds of Mach 6-8 (approximately 4,570 mph and 6,080 mph) and a range of 620 miles.

If the decision is made to deploy nuclear weapons in EU countries, this will most likely involve them alongside French Air Force Rafale aircraft. However, it's possible that over time, this weapon could be integrated with aircraft from other countries, similar to the B61-12 bombs under the Nuclear Sharing program.