During a visit to Air Base 116 “Lieutenant Colonel Papin” in Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur, which took place yesterday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country is preparing to move forward with the purchase of Rafale fighters in their most modern version available, which will be equipped with the new ASN4G hypersonic nuclear missile. According to the official announcement from the Élysée, this would involve an investment of more than 1.5 billion euros, with the primary goal of acquiring two new squadrons of Dassault-manufactured fighters by 2035.
Expanding on the announced plans, various modernization works are planned for the infrastructure of Air Base 116, considering that the aim is not only to increase the number of Rafale fighters stationed there but also to expand military and civilian personnel. In concrete figures, more than 2,000 people are expected to arrive at the base in the coming years, reflecting the intention to strengthen its capabilities.
Quoting some of the president’s remarks: “Some initial conclusions are needed, and I want to tell you here that the Air and Space Force will benefit from more Rafale orders. This is an imperative in the current context. It is also a natural choice to integrate the aviators’ effort toward Ukraine with the transfer of our Mirages. Yes, we will increase and accelerate Rafale orders. But in this context, I came today to tell you that Luxeuil Air Base will not only remain for all those who had doubts about its future, but it will grow in an unprecedented way and regain its full place in French nuclear deterrence.”
Regarding this last point, it is worth noting that the choice of this particular base to announce the news was not random, given its great historical significance for France in defense matters. This is the base that welcomed the widely known La Fayette Squadron, formed by American volunteers in World War I, as well as the headquarters from which the first squadrons of the French Air Force equipped with nuclear weapons operated.
Moreover, this is the base from which the Mirage fighters that France decided to transfer to Ukraine took off, which explains the mention of these aircraft in the quoted speech fragment, along with other notable references to Paris’s commitment to continuing military assistance to Kyiv. Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur is also the base from which the French Air Force deploys aerial assets in support of NATO missions in the Baltic states, as well as elements for the French mission in Djibouti.
Finally, from a broader perspective, it is worth recalling that President Macron’s announcement comes amid ongoing discussions about French nuclear deterrence and its potential deployment in other parts of Europe in light of concerns over a possible U.S. withdrawal from this key commitment. As we reported at the end of February, Germany has been campaigning to receive protection under France’s nuclear umbrella, with a potential deployment of Rafale aircraft on its territory. In the words of Germany’s future chancellor, Friedrich Merz: “We need to have conversations with both the British and the French (Editor’s note: the two European nuclear powers) about whether nuclear sharing or at least the nuclear security of the United Kingdom and France could also apply to us.”
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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