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Macron announces nuclear strike plans

French President Emmanuel Macron visited Base aérienne 116 Luxeuil Saint-Sauveur on Tuesday 18 March and announced plans for a new nuclear strike wing at the base, close to the German border.

 

Jon Lake

March 19, 2025

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DefenceAir-Sol Nucléaire de 4e Génération missileArmée de l’Air et de l’EspaceASMP-A

 

Base aérienne 116 Luxeuil Saint-Sauveur is currently home to the Armée de l’Air et de l’Éspace’s dwindling fleet of soon-to-retire Dassault Mirage 2000-5Fs, many of which are being transferred to Ukraine. The remaining aircraft serve with Escadron de Chasse 1/2 Cigognes.

The base was once threatened with closure, but will now be refurbished to house two new squadrons, equipped with 40 Rafale F5s. These 40 advanced versions of the Rafale are expected to be additional to the 42 Rafale F5s ordered earlier this year.

The new aircraft will be equipped with the new Air-Sol Nucléaire de 4e Génération missile (fourth-generation nuclear air-to-ground or ASN4G). Development of the ASN4G began in 2016, and the weapon is expected to enter service in about 2035. The stealthy stand off weapon has a 1,000 km range, and a hypersonic capability (hypersonic is defined as at least Mach 5, the new weapon may be capable of Mach 6 or 7).

The first of the new Rafale squadrons will form at Luxeuil in 2032, becoming operational in 2033. The second squadron will be operational by 2036. Luxeuil did previously have a nuclear strike role, but relinquished this in 2011.

Before Macron’s announcement, there had been speculation that France was considering the possibility of deploying nuclear-armed Rafales to Germany.

It is unclear as to whether the additional French nuclear deterrent air base will be additional to Saint-Dizier-Robinson Air Base (Base aérienne 113 Saint-Dizier) home of Escadron de Chasse 2/4 Lafayette and Escadron de Chasse 1/4 Gascogne, operating Rafale Bs armed with the older supersonic ASMP missile, and Escadron de Transformation Rafale 3/4 Aquitaine, the Rafale Operational Conversion Unit.

 

These squadrons operate about 50 two-seat Rafale Bs, armed with an estimated 54 operational ASMP-A supersonic missiles, which are being upgraded to ASMPA-R standards. The original ASMP-A had a range of 500 km, a speed of Mach 3, and carries a 300 kT warhead. The ASMPA-R has an increased range, of 600 km.

The French Air and Space Force has three air bases equipped with secure weapons storage facilities for nuclear missiles, but  Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (Base Aérienne 125) and

Base Aérienne 702 Capitaine Georges Madon at Avord do not host nuclear-capable aircraft, but rather serve as extra storage bases, while operating other aircraft types.

There is a enthusiasm for expanded nuclear deterrence among European NATO allies, separate from the nuclear-sharing programme that relies on US owned and US-held B61 freefall nuclear bombs.

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