France plans to station nuclear-equipped aircraft near German boundary
President Emmanuel Macron has been contemplating the possibility of expanding the strategic arsenal to encompass additional EU member states. On Tuesday, Macron announced that France will enhance one of its key air bases near the German border...
TroibNews 
President Emmanuel Macron has been contemplating the possibility of expanding the strategic arsenal to encompass additional EU member states.
On Tuesday, Macron announced that France will enhance one of its key air bases near the German border to accommodate Rafale fighter planes equipped with nuclear cruise missiles.
The Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur base in eastern France previously hosted nuclear weapons until 2011, when these aircraft were moved to a different location.
“The Luxeuil air base is about to be upgraded in an unprecedented way and regain its full role in France’s nuclear deterrent,” Macron stated.
“By 2035, Luxeuil will be the first base to host the next version of the Rafale and its hypersonic nuclear missiles,” he revealed. He also mentioned plans to increase the garrison's size to nearly 2,000 military and civilian personnel to support two Rafale squadrons.
The French government plans to allocate €1.5 billion for the modernization of the base and to accelerate Rafale aircraft orders.
In light of the growing tensions, Macron noted that France is facing “an increasingly dangerous and uncertain world” since the escalation of hostilities between Moscow and Kiev in 2022, without explicitly naming Russia.
This announcement follows a suggestion from Germany’s chancellor-designate, Friedrich Merz, about extending France's nuclear capabilities to offer protection to Germany and other EU nations. In response, Macron indicated his intention to initiate a discussion on this topic.
Russia has criticized the EU’s “militarization” initiatives as reckless and provocative. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed concern earlier this month, asserting that “confrontational rhetoric and confrontational plans that we are now seeing in Brussels and in European capitals could hamper finding a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict.”
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this article for TROIB News
On Tuesday, Macron announced that France will enhance one of its key air bases near the German border to accommodate Rafale fighter planes equipped with nuclear cruise missiles.
The Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur base in eastern France previously hosted nuclear weapons until 2011, when these aircraft were moved to a different location.
“The Luxeuil air base is about to be upgraded in an unprecedented way and regain its full role in France’s nuclear deterrent,” Macron stated.
“By 2035, Luxeuil will be the first base to host the next version of the Rafale and its hypersonic nuclear missiles,” he revealed. He also mentioned plans to increase the garrison's size to nearly 2,000 military and civilian personnel to support two Rafale squadrons.
The French government plans to allocate €1.5 billion for the modernization of the base and to accelerate Rafale aircraft orders.
In light of the growing tensions, Macron noted that France is facing “an increasingly dangerous and uncertain world” since the escalation of hostilities between Moscow and Kiev in 2022, without explicitly naming Russia.
This announcement follows a suggestion from Germany’s chancellor-designate, Friedrich Merz, about extending France's nuclear capabilities to offer protection to Germany and other EU nations. In response, Macron indicated his intention to initiate a discussion on this topic.
Russia has criticized the EU’s “militarization” initiatives as reckless and provocative. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed concern earlier this month, asserting that “confrontational rhetoric and confrontational plans that we are now seeing in Brussels and in European capitals could hamper finding a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict.”
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this article for TROIB News
