France seeks to join the UK-Germany long-range missile program

According to a report by Reference News Network on May 25, the Financial Times reported on May 22 that as European countries compete to enhance their capabilities to strike deep into Russian territory without U.S. assistance, France is seeking to join Germany and the UK in the development of a new type of long-range missile.

Five informed sources revealed that France has expressed its intention to join the deep precision strike program of Berlin and London, a move that will be part of a broader defense dialogue between France and Germany. The three countries hope to hold trilateral talks in early June.

The program announced by the UK and Germany in 2024 is the flagship initiative of the two countries' Trident Defense Agreement, aimed at producing a series of advanced ground-based missiles with a range exceeding 2,000 kilometers, capable of striking military targets within Russia.

European countries possess some conventional missiles with ranges around or exceeding 300 kilometers, but they are almost entirely air- or sea-launched.

This means that to strike targets deep within Russia, European fighter jets, warships, or submarines would have to enter contested waters or airspace.

Moscow has extensively used ground-based missiles in its military operations against Ukraine and has deployed long-range weapons in its Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, prompting European countries to develop similar capabilities, hoping this will help deter Russia.

France's interest also indicates that President Macron increasingly believes that developing advanced conventional weapons would be a valuable complement to France's nuclear deterrent.

One informed source revealed that although France initially participated in negotiations with Germany and the UK regarding cooperation in developing long-range strike capabilities, it withdrew after debates surrounding its nuclear doctrine.

In a landmark speech in March this year, Macron outlined how France could use its nuclear deterrent to covertly protect its neighbors and announced negotiations with six willing countries, including Germany. However, he also emphasized the importance of long-range missiles, air defense systems, and surveillance systems for controlling escalation "before crossing the nuclear threshold."

Another informed source stated that French officials concluded that joining the UK-Germany program would help "narrow" the "gap" between conventional deterrence and nuclear deterrence.

The UK-Germany deep precision strike program is part of a six-nation European long-range strike initiative, which is still in the conceptual phase. However, both countries agree that they want the relevant weapons to include stealth cruise missiles and hypersonic weapons. These weapons fly at high speeds on unpredictable trajectories, making them difficult to track.

The initial focus will be on ground-based systems.

Companies involved in the discussions include the pan-European missile manufacturer European Missile Group and the UK-Germany joint venture startup Hypersonic Technologies.

The latter stated in February that it had become the first private investment European defense company to successfully complete a hypersonic test flight.

The French government proposed that the Ariane Group, jointly owned by Airbus and French Safran Group, could join the program to provide rocket boosters capable of launching hypersonic weapons into the Earth's atmosphere.

French officials believe that their participation in the program could accelerate the development of new deep strike missiles.

The UK and Germany have indicated that these missiles are expected to enter service in the early 2030s and will become one of the most advanced missile systems designed to date.

In his March speech, Macron hinted that he might be interested in joining the UK-Germany program, specifically naming these two countries as partners he wishes to collaborate with in the field of advanced long-range weapons.

He stated, "When adversaries are deploying new technologies and weapons, this will provide new options for controlling escalation through conventional means."

Earlier this month, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius explicitly acknowledged France's interest in the UK-Germany program, stating, "Now, France wants to join us—and wants to do so as soon as possible."

Berlin is keen to have Paris on board. However, in London, some officials are uneasy about allowing France to join a program they have been discussing with Berlin for over 18 months.

Due to tensions in the political and industrial spheres, a series of defense collaborations between France and Germany have already broken down, including a plan to jointly build fighter jets under the Future Combat Air System initiative, which is on the verge of collapse. (Translation/ Qiu Fang)