From 30th June to 14th July 2025, the third edition of the Paris International Capstone Course (PICC), organised by the Centre des hautes études militaires (CHEM), took place. In just three years, this event has established itself in Paris and among our invited partners as a unique opportunity to follow a distinctively French, higher-level strategic programme at the crossroads of collective security imperatives and mutual understanding. Under the mentorship of Vice Admiral SCHRICKE and conducted under the authority of the Director of CHEM, Rear Admiral HAUDOS de POSSESSE, the 2025 edition marked a significant milestone in the maturation of the programme. 

The next edition will take place from 30th June to 14th July 2026.

The evolution of the Paris International Capstone Course (PICC) is visible in its appeal: the cohort has grown from 32 to 40 general officers, including 27 from NATO/EU countries and 13 from France. This progression is not merely a quantitative adjustment. It reflects the PICC’s growing recognition as an essential platform for general officers who will soon assume major responsibilities within national headquarters, NATO, or the European Union.

One of the programme’s major strengths lies in the direct access it provides to French strategic thinking. Participants were able to engage with the highest national military authorities: the Chief of the Defence Staff, the chiefs of staff of each service, as well as the heads of the main central directorates. Civilian authorities, such as the Secretary-General for Defence and National Security and the Director-General for Armament, also presented their analyses and priorities. These contributions go beyond the transmission of doctrinal content. They also immerse participants in the heart of decision-making processes, politico-military trade-offs, and French conceptions of power, sovereignty and international cooperation.

In addition to this institutional dimension, the programme incorporates an approach grounded in concrete experience, which is essential for developing a comprehensive understanding of the defence system. The field visits organised once again this year to highly sensitive and symbolic sites offered participants the opportunity to grasp the nature of French strategy. At Île Longue, the heart of oceanic deterrence and a cornerstone of nuclear credibility, they gained insight into the unique role of continuous at-sea deployment within the national security architecture. In Toulon, the largest military port in Europe, they met with the Commander of the Rapid Reaction Naval Air Force, with whom they discussed contemporary operational challenges, deployment methods, and the evolution of the French naval posture. By combining knowledge, observation, and dialogue, these visits enable participants to move beyond purely theoretical understanding and attain a comprehensive and tangible vision of French defence. The participants also visited the Saint-Dizier Air Base, where they were introduced to the capabilities of the fighter aviation component and the central role of the Rafale in airborne deterrence as well as in contemporary operations. Finally, the visit to CENZUB – the urban warfare training centre – provided them with insights into the tactical and human demands of modern combat. By exploring the reconstructed urban environments and the highly realistic training methods, they were able to appreciate the growing complexity of land operations and the importance of the human factor in manoeuvre.

The session concluded, as it has every year since the creation of the PICC, with the Bastille Day 14th July parade on Place de la Concorde – a solemn moment that anchors the programme within the national narrative. The 2025 edition thus confirms that the PICC has fully achieved its objective: fostering a nuanced and reciprocal understanding of positions within NATO and the European Union, with the aim of encouraging the emergence of a shared strategic culture. 

In an international environment where operational cooperation is becoming more indispensable every day, the development of a network of general officers destined for the highest responsibilities represents a decisive asset. By enabling them to get to know one another, to debate, to understand their differences, and to build common ground, the PICC lays the foundation for interoperability that is not only technical, but also intellectual, doctrinal – and human.