France is set to enhance its nuclear arsenal for the first time since the 1990s, with President Emmanuel Macron unveiling a significant update to the country’s defence strategy. In a bold move, French nuclear jets may soon be stationed temporarily in the United Kingdom as part of a new “advanced deterrence” plan aimed at addressing growing security threats across Europe.
Speaking from the secretive Île Longue submarine base in Brittany, Macron announced a major shift in France’s nuclear policy. The new approach allows French nuclear jets to deploy temporarily across nine European countries, including the UK, Germany, Poland, and Sweden. Macron described this network as an “archipelago of force” designed to confuse potential adversaries and disrupt their strategic calculations.
He confirmed an increase in France’s nuclear warheads from around 290, although the exact number of the new total has not been disclosed. Macron emphasized that “there will be no sharing of the ultimate decision, its planning, or its implementation,” underscoring France’s exclusive control over its nuclear arsenal.
The United Kingdom, a key partner in this initiative, is strengthening its nuclear cooperation with France. UK defence officials participated in French strategic air force exercises this winter, marking the first joint drill between Europe’s only two nuclear powers. This collaboration builds on the Northwood Declaration signed last year, which enables Paris and London to coordinate their nuclear arsenals without merging command structures.
In addition, Macron announced a trilateral project involving the UK, Germany, and France to develop next-generation long-range missiles under the European Long-Range Strike Approach (Elsa). This programme aims to counter advances in Russian missile technology, particularly in the wake of recent arms treaty collapses.
Macron described the current arms control environment as “a field of ruins” and highlighted emerging threats from China’s nuclear expansion as well as nuclear proliferation concerns in Iran and North Korea.
A UK government spokesman welcomed France’s defence initiatives, praising the “concrete cooperation measures” established by the Northwood Declaration and recent summit meetings. The spokesman stated, “The UK and France are determined to deter threats against Europe and will not bow to Russian nuclear bluster.”
France also pledged to deploy anti-drone and anti-missile defences to Cyprus following Iranian-made drone attacks on RAF Akrotiri. Further details regarding the full implementation of the “advanced deterrence” strategy across Europe are expected to be announced soon.
Originally published by UKNIP.
