France to Increase Production of the Dassault Rafale and Expand Key Air Base
French President Emmanuel Macron announced this week that Paris would seek to increase its fleet of Dassault Rafale omnirole fighters while investing around €1.5 billion to increase the capabilities of one of the French Air and Space Force’s bases.
The investment seeks to expand the Luxeuil-Saint Sauveur Air Base, also known as Base Aérienne BA-116 or Air Base 1160, by receiving two additional squadrons, each operating the Rafale.
Located in eastern France, BA-116 had previously been one of the facilities that housed the country’s nuclear deterrent aircraft. It lost that mission in 2011 but will resume it in 2035.
“To come here [to Luxeuil-St Sauveur Air Base] is to go to the sources of our combat aviation and our nuclear deterrence, a history where the defense of our country and the permanent evolution of the [French] Air and Space Force are intimately intertwined,” Macron told reporters during a visit to the base alongside French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu, international military analyst firm Janes reported.
“Emmanuel Macron came to confirm to the airmen of BA 116 of Luxeuil-les-Bains the nuclear vocation of their base,” added Minister Lecornu.
“It will accommodate the 7th and 8th Rafale squadrons upgraded to the F5 standard and the future ASN4G nuclear missile they will carry. An investment of nearly €1.5 billion, provided for in the military planning law, accompanied by a doubling of the base’s personnel, will benefit the entire territory.”
Add Nuclear Deterrence to the Rafale’s Omnirole Mission
The Rafale, literally “gust of wind” or “burst of fire” in French, has been a cornerstone of the country’s military aviation since 2001. It was conceived for use by the French Air and Space Force and Navy as an “omnirole” fighter, meaning it would replace seven combat aircraft in operation at its development.
The newest Rafale F5 variants will be capable of carrying the “MBDA France Air-Sol Nucléaire de 4eme Génération (ASN4G) hypersonic nuclear missile,” Janes added, noting that the new nuclear-capable weapon is “being developed for the role in place of the existing Air-Sol Moyenne Portée Amélioré (ASMPA) supersonic missile.”
Expanding France’s Nuclear Umbrella
As previously reported, Macron has floated the idea of having the French Air and Space Force and the Rafale take over the nuclear deterrence role currently carried out by the United States, essentially expanding Paris’ nuclear umbrella.
During the Cold War, France had nuclear-capable F-100D/F Super Sabre jet fighters stationed at two bases in West Germany, and the Rafale could fill a similar role. However, even if that doesn’t happen, France will maintain the nuclear-capable aircraft from multiple domestic facilities.
According to The War Zone, the French Air and Space Force maintains “three air bases equipped with secure weapons storage for nuclear missiles: Saint-Dizier, Istres, and Avord. These bases host roughly fifty two-seat Rafale Bs, which are armed with ASMP-A supersonic missiles and are supported by a fleet of Airbus A330 MRTT Phénix aerial refueling tankers.”
The French military is essentially on track to having the aircraft able to carry out Europe’s nuclear deterrence. In addition to the forty Rafales that would eventually be stationed at BA 116 within the coming decade, Paris already has an order for an additional forty.
France currently operates 230 omnirole aircraft.
Though the Rafale is not a stealth fighter, Paris is looking to expand the aircraft’s capabilities and is now developing unmanned aerial systems (UAS) that could operate as “loyal wingmen.”
That effort also suggests that the French military is looking to the future literally, as it is now partnering with Germany and Spain on the sixth generation Future Combat Air System (FCAS), which is on track to enter service by 2040 at the latest.
French Nuclear and Traditional Defense Spending Set to Increase
The €1.5 billion investment is just the latest defense expenditure announced by Paris. Marcon recently set a target to see France increase its defense spending to 3 percent to 3.5 percent of its GDP, up from the current 2 percent. This is part of Europe’s efforts to be more self-sufficient in its defense, yet this may also be about maintaining its position as the world’s second-largest arms seller, after only the United States.
According to new data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), France overtook Russia with total global arms exports, and the Dassault fighter is one of the key platforms now in hot demand.
This month, India signed a deal for the carrier-capable Rafale M, which was selected over the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: at [email protected].
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