French nuclear deterrence
Never again
French deterrence is very often associated with the destiny of one man, Charles de Gaulle. He has witnessed, like many French citizens of his generation, the destruction and the death of 1.4 million soldiers during WWI. France and its allies were victorious on the battlefield, but with an entire generation wiped out, a third of its country in ruins and heavily in debt, 1918 was a sour victory.
Worse was the humiliation of German troops parading in Paris in 1940. The once mighty French Army, led by aging generals, still locked in their WWI trench warfare tactics, was crushed by a tactically superior enemy.
Contrary to popular belief, the French army did put up a fight, losing 350,000 soldiers, dead and wounded before being routed. The Wehrmacht, who lost 160,000 men in 45 days, never considered the Battle of France a walk in the park.
As soon as the war ended, the post-war French governments immediately saw the equalizing power of nuclear weapons against a new enemy rising in the east.
After 2 World Wars fought on his home soil in 30 years and still under reconstruction, the “Gerboise bleue” test of the first French A bomb in 1960 was a signal that France was back.
“Never have I felt more than at this moment that our country had truly overcome the defeat of 1940 and that it had the future to itself”
-Former French prime minister, Félix Gaillard, on Gerboise bleue, 13 February 1960.
France, an unruly but useful ally
The French Nuclear program, when started in 1954 by the IV Republic, was not initially designed as an autonomous force, but one fully integrated within the NATO nuclear planning group.
Thanks to this, the French nuclear program received help and fissile material from US scientists to kick-start the national program.
The 1956 Anglo-French failed intervention in Suez, quickly became the catalyst for what was to come. Charles de Gaulle understood that day, that only a fully independent nuclear deterrence force would secure the nation’s interest in full independence from the White House.
This schizophrenic relationship between the US and France started when France asked NATO forces to leave its national territory in 1966. France was still committed to the Alliance, but its nuclear deterrence was now ready to fulfil President Charle de Gaulle's vision of national nuclear independence, with the deployment of the first squadrons of mighty Mirage IV nuclear-armed supersonic bombers.
Sometimes infuriated by France's grandstanding in military affairs, the US and the UK eventually realised the usefulness of having an extra variable in the global nuclear equilibrium. The Soviet Union had to anticipate, during any crisis, the reaction of another leader armed with a couple of hundred H bombs aimed at their cities.
This is why in the '60s and ‘70s the French received invaluable help from the UK on the design of the H bomb, in exchange for EU access, as the legend goes.
Less known is the US contribution to the French SSBM/SLBM strategic missile program thanks to Kissinger’s unique ability to circumvent his country's laws, which forbid any technology exchange on nuclear technology, to adapt to international geopolitics.
Kissinger helped the French scientists to submit questions to their US counterparts, who would steer the French team towards the right technological solution, without officially sharing forbidden technology. A process called negative guidance.
This partnership was only revealed in the late ‘90s.
After 30 years of development, the French nuclear force reached its peak in the 80’s with a comprehensive array of tactical and strategic nuclear delivery systems.
Fixed and mobile land-based SSBM, submarine-launched SLBM, free-fall bombs and air-launched supersonic cruise missiles.
French Nuclear Doctrine
On October 8, 2024, France will celebrate its 60th anniversary of uninterrupted nuclear deterrence. Although smaller than in the 1980s, the French Nuclear forces are vastly more capable with 4 SSBNs armed with MIRVed SLBMs with true intercontinental reach.
Its nuclear doctrine is now firmly established under 5 key principles.
Protect France's vital interests:
The definition of the latter is somewhat vague and is left to the discretion of the President of the Republic, but it is generally considered that the territory, population and sovereignty of France constitute its core. President Macron recently said that France believes that its vital interests are now inseparable from those of its neighbours, suggesting that France's Nuclear deterrence might include Europe. It is important to stress that French nuclear deterrence might be employed regardless of the means used by the adversary. In other words, nuclear force is not only intended to prevent a nuclear attack.
The French doctrine includes the option of a limited nuclear strike as a last warning message before a full nuclear retaliation.
Capability to deliver overwhelming damage to the enemy:
For obvious economic reasons, France could not build a nuclear arsenal comparable to the US or Soviet one as per the MAD doctrine. France's credibility is based on its capability to deliver unacceptable damage to any potential enemy. During the Cold War, France could vitrify 40% of the USSR population and 50% of its industrial capability.
Strict Sufficiency:
The idea is to limit France's nuclear resources to what is strictly necessary. France has never equipped itself with "anti-force" means, for example, designed to destroy opposing nuclear forces.
Permanence:
A fairly obvious condition, deterrence needs to be available without interruption. With a minimum of 1 SSBN at sea in peacetime, and up to 3 in times of crisis, like the French Navy demonstrated in a show of force in February 2022.
Fully autonomous and adaptable
France needs to secure a fully autonomous national industrial and scientific base with world-class technology to support its military forces, conventional and nuclear. It is the only guarantee for its deterrence to stay credible over time.
The message has to be clear, there is no possible positive outcome for anyone attacking or blackmailing France. Even if we have 10 times fewer nukes than our potential enemy. This doctrine developed in the 50’s by General Pierre Gallois is referred to as the weak-to-strong deterrence.
Today’s relevance
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Western Europe saw a massive reduction in conventional forces. While the nuclear reduction and non-proliferation treaties came into force, France, due to its considerably smaller arsenal, focused on its long-term credibility by investing heavily in its modernization and simulation capabilities.
During the same period, Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal in 1991 in exchange for a security agreement that Russia eventually chose to ignore. It is very unlikely that any existing nuclear power will make the same mistake anytime soon.
France did get rid of its fixed and mobile SRBM assets, only useful against an enemy coming from the East. Germany, being the only territory most of these weapons could reach, was quite pleased with the decision!
By investing about 20% of its military equipment budget in its Deterrence force, France has fielded over the past 30 years a brand-new generation of Submarines, an aircraft carrier to carry Rafale-equipped ASMP-A, giving its deterrence a truly global reach. Smaller but meaner!
But nuclear deterrence is important to make sure nuclear weapons are never used.
The constant reduction in military expenditure meant that France, in 30 years, like many of its neighbours, reduced the size of its army by 70-80%. To reach such a small size that it is today defined by a famous French defense journalist as a Bonzai army. Very good at almost everything, but able to cover only an 80km front and only for a couple of weeks.
Russia saw the massive underfunding of NATO's capabilities as an opportunity to reclaim some of its former stowaway republics, betting that a weaker, and somewhat divided, NATO would and could not stop Russian ground troops.
The invasion of Ukraine acted as an earthquake in European defense policies, reverting years of military decline.
For France, it cemented again the status of its nuclear “Force de frappe” as a national treasure.
But it was also a wake-up call to realize that deterrence cannot be only of nuclear nature, it needs to be backed up by an army strong enough to project power beyond its immediate borders.
Theodore Roosevelt's famous quote about international negotiation "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far" is more relevant than ever.
Once again, democracies need to build their big sticks, to prevent more and more states from acting foolishly again.
In the Future
On Monday 15 January 2024, the 60 years of the creation of the French Strategic Air Forces (FAS) was celebrated at the "Capitaine Georges Madon" air base in Avord.
“Nothing lasts that is not constantly renewed," said General Stéphane Mille Chief of the French Air and Space Forces (CEMAAE).
“This continual adaptation is the price of our freedom.”
There is little doubt that both the submarine and fighter aircraft nuclear squadrons will continue to evolve until the centenary, still true to the motto of one of France's most famous aces, “faire face”.
Sources:
They fought like lions!
FOST
ISBN 2-915379610 Yves Cariou Marine edition 2006
History of the French nuclear program
"The French Bomb, with Secret U.S. Help". Université George-Washington. 11/05/2011.
