Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 marked a strategic turning point for France and its allies. Thirty years after the end of the Cold War, it marked the return of high-intensity conflicts between states on European soil. This is a conflict in which the number of men and equipment - nearly a million soldiers deployed on both sides since the beginning of the conflict - plays just as essential a role as the new technologies deployed on the battlefield (artificial intelligence, combat drones, cyberwarfare, etc.). For the army, the challenge is clear: to adapt to this change of strategic era. "We have to manoeuvre on the scale of competition, contestation and confrontation, with the mission of showing ourselves to be sufficiently strong and credible to prevent our adversaries from going to extremes," says General Pierre Schill, Chief of Staff of the French Army. 

To achieve this, the French Army is supported by an ambitious 2024-2030 military planning law, which provides for a total budget of €413 billion. These funds will enable our air-land forces to transform themselves to meet the demands of modern warfare - both in operational terms and in terms of capabilities. "It's about finding the right balance between equipment and people, technology and courage, coherence and mass, with a spirit turned to the conflicts of the future and not to those of the past," says Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu in his book.[1]

[1] “Vers la guerre?” Published by Plon in October 2024.

Remaining credible

The French Army has therefore been developing its responsiveness and combat power. This is particularly the case with the Scorpion programme[1] . Led by the French Defence Procurement Agency, this major digital transformation aims to connect deployed soldiers and vehicles to collect data and communicate information in real time to all units involved. The aim is to coordinate effects, weapons and manoeuvres to dominate the battlefield. For Chief of Defence Procurement Emmanuel Chiva, "we must remain credible in the eyes of our competitors and show, despite the protection offered by the nuclear dome, that our weapons work".

Scorpion is the foundation for the transformation of the French Army's capabilities over the coming decades. The new-generation Griffon, Jaguar and Serval armoured vehicles are all fitted with a single information system that allows all battlefield data to be shared instantaneously. The accuracy of information and the speed of transmission are thus multiplied, allowing the French Army to enter the era of collaborative, value-informed combat.[2]

The designing phase of the detailed architecture of the Scorpion programme was launched in 2010 and Scorpion was first fielded on an overseas deployment in November 2021. Today the 2024-2030 military planning law aims to deliver 1,345 Griffons, 200 Jaguars and 978 Servals to the French Army.

[1] For Contact Synergy Reinforced by Versatility and Infovalorisation.

[2] This system enables tactical information to be shared instantly, including the location of allies, the identification of threats and the coordination of strikes.

Producing more, faster and cheaper

In addition to this structuring programme, the French Defence Procurement Agency has had to adapt to the new strategic context created by the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Over the past two years, it has been leading the transition of our defence industry to a war economy model. In addition to the requirement to invest in innovation to develop the most effective weapons systems, we now need to produce more, faster and more cheaply.

The aim is to respond to the challenge of mass production in high-intensity conflicts, by ensuring maximum responsiveness and fluidity between the defence industry and the armed forces. A Reactive Acquisition Force has been set up to speed up procurement procedures and meet the most urgent requirements. For the French Army, the transition to a wartime economy will namely have led to a significant acceleration in production rates for Caesar howitzers and the relocation to the French territory of Eurenco, a company specialising in the production of propellant powder.

3,000 drones in service by 2025

Another important segment of the army's transformation: drones. According to the Minister of Defence, "the current period is that of the widespread use of drones in the army, with 3,000 drones in service by 2025 and the creation of a school inaugurated at the end of 2023 to train all our operators". These aircraft, particularly used on the Ukrainian battlefield, represent one of the recent technological breakthroughs, along with robotics, cyber and artificial intelligence. "Of course, there will always be a need for guns to win the battle and soldiers to hold the ground, but the digital and robotic revolution is somehow placing the soldier and his traditional equipment in a position of secondary importance in these new kinds of confrontations", adds the Minister.

Cultivating the warrior spirit

An analysis of recent conflicts nonetheless shows that the human factor remains the primary guarantor of victory in combat. "The most effective equipment and the most effective strategies will not produce the expected results if soldiers do not demonstrate martial values, if leaders of all ranks are not determined to win, if the nation does not support its soldiers", emphasises General Pierre Schill. To face up to the most demanding battles, the French Army cultivates and nurtures the warrior spirit of its soldiers, who are united by shared values: loyalty, dedication, determination and boldness. This bond creates the conditions for a fraternity of arms, an essential compass for difficult moments in combat. Far from being outdated, these values are appealing to the new generation. Young people are "aware that a military commitment has real meaning", says General Pierre Schill, who “completely trust” them. Every year, the French Army recruits 15,000 young people who "want to be active", motivated by the idea of joining an army which “provides jobs”. In this context, by 2027 the army hopes to be able to deploy a division (19,000 soldiers and 7,000 vehicles) in 30 days, compared with six months at present. "The goal is to show that we are strong enough to discourage our potential adversaries and assert our strategic solidarity with our allies," explains General Pierre Schill. To this end, in 2024 and for a period of one year, France took over command of a multinational NATO land force of up to 120,000 troops.

Kévin Savornin