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Proliferation means worldwide propagation of nuclear, ballistic, chemical and biological weapons. The act of proliferation assumes, at the same time, a political dimension (the will to acquire weapons of mass destruction capabilities that goes with reinforcing a regional or international status), a strategic dimension (directly impacting on collective security) and an economic dimension (involving scientific, technical and industrial protagonists). Proliferation is also a contagious phenomenon similar to the domino effect. When a State acquires massive destruction capabilities, its neighbours, its political and strategic rivals, or certain countries that have the same level of development could be tempted to take the same steps toward proliferation. Such a chain reaction could upset the regional balances, jeopardize the collective security parameters and threaten France’s interests.
In this context, the DGSE is tasked to carry out a mission based on intelligence collection and disruptive actions against nuclear, ballistic, chemical and biological proliferation. Its targets are equally set on proliferant countries developing weapons of mass destruction programmes and proliferating States that transfer technological knowledge and savoir-faire. Procurement networks being the essential links between proliferating and proliferant countries are also closely monitored.
Intelligence action intervenes during the whole proliferation cycle: before (by anticipating and detecting programmes through analysing different pieces of evidence), during and after the crisis. Simultaneously, the DGSE also monitors proliferation networks that are likely to be connected to terrorist movements. The potential conjunction between terrorism and weapons of mass destruction represents an immediate threat to France’s security, but also to its allies. In this precise case, intelligence collection and disruptive action require very rapid reaction capabilities according to the level of threat.