France adopts an unprecedented military budget. The defense minister says that this is exactly what they need, although it could be more.
The total is 413 billion euros. And this is not even the ceiling, but "the lower limit, a kind of trajectory of movement," as expressed by the French Ministry of Defense. The entire amount is calculated to finance the period from 2014 to 2030, 3-4 billion euros will be added every year, and as a result, by the 30th annual military budget of the country will reach 69 billion.
To compare: in 2017, 32 billion were approved with a struggle. It is clear that the number of dissatisfied people was plentiful this time as well, because the leftist opposition kept reminding that the protest movement concerning the pension reform was not finished in the country. The Cabinet approved the budget, and now it must pass through the millstones of the Parliament, as they say "before the holidays." That's July 14, Bastille Day.
How will this money be distributed? There are several priorities.
"The sharp deterioration of the geopolitical situation in Europe was a key factor in the growth of the budget," the military department said in a communiqué. Extra-budgetary aid to Kiev will amount to 13 billion euros, although it is clear that this is far from a final figure.
This conflict has revealed a gap in the French defense industry - it turned out that the production of drones, the current "gods of war," and means of combating them is at a very low level. An additional billion and a half will be allocated for these developments, given that the Paris Olympics are on the horizon, and the same equipment will come in handy for security.
As is known, almost the entire arsenal of 155mm shells for Caesar self-propelled artillery units has gone to Ukraine. Even alarmist reports appeared in the French press that there were almost 40 shells left in the country. It was decided to continue replenishing the artillery arsenal, 16 billion are allocated for this purpose, but by 2027 Caesars will most likely be removed from production, and they will be replaced either by their unitary rocket launchers, or by American HIMARS, or some European version of SAU.
Part of the entire gigantic sum, 30 billion, will go to pay for the effects of inflation. Despite constant budget increases, the cost of armaments is still growing faster, and one has to prioritize some projects above others.
There is, for example, the Army's SCORPION development program. It involves full communication and control through a single computer of armored vehicles on the battlefield. But while it was being developed, the inflation had eaten well, and as the result by 2030 the army will receive a hundred less instead of 300 Jaguar armored vehicles, and just developed Serval and Griffon BMPs will have to wait until the next decade. In the meantime, the existing AMX-10 vehicles will be brought up to the level compatible with the Scorpion, which, by the way, were promised to Ukraine, but in their current version.
It's the same with the Rafale jets. From 2027 to 2030, the French Air Force hoped for 42 new fighters, but will have to be patient until 2032. And the navy will receive only 3 out of 5 frigates, and that after 2030.
No one is thinking of reducing the nuclear program. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle will be supported (and most likely replaced) by a new generation of ships by 2038. Another 10 billion euros has been earmarked for this. Construction of aircraft carriers, especially nuclear, recently caused controversy - as they say, we build expensive targets for the enemy. But it was decided to proceed from the fact that all powers, which can afford it, are stocked with aircraft carriers.
Back in 2020, a doctrine was presented to improve the French submarine fleet, which provides for the creation of ships capable of diving to a depth of 6,000 meters, but this idea was not abandoned either.
From now on, it has been decided to develop with special zeal the resistance to cyberattacks, which in today's conditions have become a full-fledged part of combat operations, and to simply multiply the development costs by two. For now.
The military space programs will develop this way. The Yoda program satellites - which are designed to protect other French spacecraft - will be replaced by a new generation of Celeste electromagnetic reconnaissance satellites. Funds have also been allocated for their development. But it was decided to abandon the third Syracuse 4 communications satellite project and replace it with... But this was not said.
The strategic goal of the new budget is not to patch up holes, but to spend the money on innovation. Virtually all the developments, including those on nuclear deterrence, are entirely French. Most of the drone production technology will be purchased abroad, because the lag is so serious, and as you know, there is no time to bounce back.
France, like the rest of Europe after the conflict in Ukraine began, faced the inevitable: it was necessary to produce a lot, have time to modernize, cover gaps and backlogs, and look for new specialists. And also to invent new things. For example, it was decided not to abandon a very ambitious and expensive Franco-German project to create not even airplanes, but an entire SCAF/FCAS (Future Combat Air System) or, as already mentioned, new generation aircraft carriers.
It is surprising that the same budget also provides for an increase in the number of reservists. Now there are 40 thousand of them, but there will be 100. And the age of reservists will increase - from 62-65 to 70-72 years old. It is clear that old men will not go into the battle alone and will not be enlisted into the infantry. Most likely they will need specialists-engineers of all directions.
The Minister of Defense, commenting on the unprecedented budget, said: "I can tell you, looking straight in the eye: there is nothing extra in these 413 billion."