France’s Ramjet-Powered Nuclear Cruise Missile Might Protect Europe Soon
A system like the ASMPA-R, built in larger numbers and deployed across Europe, would be effective at deterring any potential Russian invasion.
With the staggering changes in the American and European security relationship underway, French President Emmanuel Macron has come forward to assert that his country, with what is likely the most powerful and advanced military on the European continent, is open to taking on more defensive responsibilities. One such area where Paris thinks it can contribute to the collective defense of Europe, with the Americans seeking to take a step back from the continent, is in extending France’s nuclear umbrella over the continent.
And one system that might prove decisive for France achieving such a herculean task is the Air-Sol Moyenne Portée Amélioré Rénové (ASMPA-R) ramjet-powered air-launched nuclear cruise missile. Developed by French defense contractor MBDA, ASMPA-R is one of France’s most potent nuclear weapons. It blends cutting-edge propulsion technology with strategic flexibility of the kind that is required in the increasingly dynamic threat environment in which Europe finds itself.
A Brief History of France’s Nuclear Weapons Arsenal
First, it’s important to understand how the French came to be the most potent nuclear power in Europe. That goes back to the reign of strident French nationalist Charles de Gaulle.
In 1966, when de Gaulle pulled France out of the unified military command structure of NATO, he did so because of vociferous disagreement with the Americans over France’s overall sovereignty. Specifically, de Gaulle quarreled with the Americans over the prospects of Paris creating a nuclear force that was separate from NATO.
De Gaulle resented that, under the U.S. Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), France and the rest of NATO’s European members were essentially auxiliaries who reported to the U.S. military commander in Europe under the NATO flag. Given France’s history as a great power—and its successful test of its first nuclear warhead in Algeria in 1960—de Gaulle believed that France’s NATO commitments would mean it was unable to use its nuclear weapons as it saw fit, according to Paris’ perception of its interests rather than Washington’s.
Because of de Gaulle’s early decision to exit the unified military command structure of NATO, France was able to develop a robust nuclear weapons arsenal of its own. Of course, France’s arsenal was nowhere near the size of either the United States’ or the Soviet Union’s respective nuclear weapons arsenals in the Cold War. Yet, as de Gaulle himself once quipped, France’s nuclear weapons arsenal was large enough to “tear an arm off” an invading Soviet Red Army if it attempted to invade Western Europe.
Thankfully, that never happened, and the Soviet Union fell in 1991. But Paris has maintained an independent and advanced nuclear weapons arsenal in the decades since. France lacks a nuclear triad: instead, like Israel, Paris has a nuclear dyad that deploys French nuclear weapons in the air and on submarines.
The Size and Scope of France’s Nuclear Weapons Arsenal
Most high-quality estimates place France’s nuclear weapons arsenal at roughly 290 warheads, with around 240 of these being allocated to submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and roughly 50 being assigned to the French Air Force—specifically the ASMPA-R, which are deployed from Rafale fighter jets. Indeed, in 2024, Operation Durandal demonstrated the operational integration of the ASMPA-R in the overall French air force.
Operation Durandal involved a simulated raid with air-to-air and ground-to-air threats, supported by Airbus A330 Phénix tankers and Mirage 2000-5F escorts. This capability ensures France can project nuclear power rapidly and flexibly, complementing its Triomphant-class submarines that are armed with M51 nuclear ballistic missiles.
The ASMPA-R is a supersonic cruise missile powered by a kerosene-fueled ramjet engine, a propulsion system that distinguishes it from traditional rocket-powered missiles. The ramjet technology allows for the ASMPA-R to sustain speeds of up to Mach 3 across an extended flightpath. What’s more, the system in question can penetrate low-altitude trajectories.
France’s ASMPA-R can exceed 373 miles in terms of range and, depending on the flight profile, could even go further than that. A 300-kiloton thermonuclear warhead is carried by this system, yielding a force roughly 20 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima—presenting a serious danger to any of France’s enemies. Advanced inertial navigation systems (INS), augmented by GPS navigation, ensure high precision, with a margin of error under 32 feet. That’s quite impressive—though, for the purposes of a strategic nuclear strike, utterly irrelevant.
Does France Have a First-Use Nuclear Warfare Doctrine Against a Non-Nuclear Threat?
Interestingly, Paris has a “pre-strategic” role for its air-launched missiles. Some analysts have likened this policy to being the nuclear warfare equivalent of a warning shot. It is intended to deter adversaries by demonstrating Paris’ willingness and capability to drastically escalate into nuclear conflict.
France’s nuclear warfare doctrine is conspicuously far more aggressive than America’s. Though Washington has refused to adopt a strict no-first-use nuclear warfare policy, it has generally remained vague on whether it would escalate a significant non-nuclear conflict to a nuclear one. On the other hand, France has consistently stated that it reserves the right to aggressively employ nuclear weapons in response to whatever its leadership deems to be significant non-nuclear threats. Should Paris extend its nuclear umbrella to encompass European NATO members, this vital doctrinal difference between France and the United States, that has traditionally provided the nuclear umbrella for Europe, must be better understood.
Nevertheless, the French nuclear arsenal is a medium-sized, albeit potent force. Between that arsenal and Britain’s, the Europeans have a vital domestic alternative to America’s longtime nuclear umbrella over the continent. A system like the ASMPA-R, built in larger numbers and deployed across Europe, would be more than effective at deterring any potential Russian invasion of Europe beyond Ukraine.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a Senior Fellow at the Center for the National Interest, and a contributor at Popular Mechanics, consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / Peter Foster.