Emmanuel Macron has announced "massive investments" in the French Air Force during a symbolic visit to the Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur military base, which will receive an injection of 1.5 billion euros to become the spearhead of the French nuclear deterrence strategy.
"Our country and our continent will have to continue defending themselves and preparing if we want to avoid war," warned the French president, surrounded by dozens of soldiers and Mirage fighter jets. "Deterrence is an opportunity for our country. We will continue to strengthen each of its components. No one knows what may happen. What I want is for us to be prepared, for us to be protected."
"We will make important decisions for our armed forces in the coming weeks," Macron emphasized, confirming the creation of new squadrons of the French Rafale fighter jet, manufactured by Dassault Aviation (with a total of 86 additional units).
Macron pledged to double defense spending since 2017, to bring it closer to the target of 3-3.5% of GDP and with the mission of making the French army "the most effective on the continent."
The Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur base houses a total of 26 Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets and is considered "the police of the sky." It is a vital enclave in NATO maneuvers due to its proximity to Eastern Europe and its contribution to the French nuclear umbrella, which Macron is willing to extend to European allies.
"This base has a long history of serving the nation and has been the heart of our defense," added the head of state. "We had to wait until 2022 to discover that the world we live in is more dangerous and more uncertain, and that implies innovating, strengthening ourselves, and being more autonomous."
The Rafale F5 fighters and ASN4G cruise missiles are "an essential milestone" to maintain the technical credibility of the French nuclear umbrella, according to military experts. The modernization plan for the Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur base includes the creation of new squadrons, the adaptation of infrastructure, the expansion of runways, hangars, and storage areas for the arsenal, as well as an increase in military and civilian personnel from 1,100 to 2,000 people.