President Emmanuel Macron promised, this Friday, January 20 before the French armies, a budget up by a third over the period 2024-2030, i.e. a “considerable” budgetary effort, 400 billion euros over seven years, in the framework of the future Military Programming Law (LPM).
On the occasion of his wishes to the armies, from the air base of Mont-de-Marsan in the South-West, Mr. Macron promised the armies a budget of 400 billion euros over seven years as part of the future Military programming law. A third more than the previous LPM.
Against the backdrop of the return of war in Europe, the Military Programming Law, announced the French Head of State, translates the country’s efforts in favor of its armies, and ” these efforts will be proportionate to the dangers, that is to say considerable “. We must have a war in advance, pleads the president.
While the 2019-2024 military programming law represented an effort of 295 billion euros, I can tell you now, I will ask the national representation to devote, over the period 2024-2030, a budgetary effort of 400 billion euros, which will cover a total of 413 billion euros of military needs. In total, these two military programming laws will therefore have led to a doubling of the budgets of our armies. I say this with seriousness, these are considerable means which amplify a defense effort whose momentum has been unprecedented for five decades. These exceptional resources obviously dictate high standards. We must take this essential step in order to build our armies of tomorrow, even if it is only a step, because these 413 billion do not alone allow us to draw the new face of our armies, but they initiate an unprecedented investment. , a profound change, which will then be irreversible.
Emmanuel Macron announces an unprecedented effort for the armies in “five decades”
“Our territory is not safe from isolated strikes”
A major investment to strengthen cyber capabilities, military intelligence, nuclear deterrence… And in the light of Ukraine, to prepare for brutal, numerous wars, and consequently to harden the French army, insists Emmanuel Macron.
We will switch to “all Rafale” and maintain this exceptional aircraft at the best level in the world. We will resolutely pursue the modernization of our land forces, and a particular contribution to new cyber combat. We will increase the power and protection of our frigates, and of course we will develop the next generation aircraft carrier. We will also have to innovate by developing remotely guided munitions, by expanding the use of drones. We will strengthen the solar defense, because even with deterrence, our national territory is not immune to isolated strikes. That is why we will increase our capabilities in all air defense layers by at least 50%. Long-range strike, anti-submarine warfare, will be part of these priorities and this reinforcement.
The Overseas Territories will also benefit from additional means, in particular in the Indo-Pacific, where, again underlined the Head of State, the French territories could be at the forefront of tomorrow’s confrontations.
“Sovereignty is also the capacity to resist”
The new LPM for the period 2024-2030 will emphasize sovereignty, while France, Mr. Macron recalled, intends to remain a respected power and a credible partner.
We must do better and differently. It is therefore first of all to reinforce our deterrence. Deterrence is an element that makes France a different country in Europe. It deserves the considerable efforts that we devote to it. The heart of sovereignty is also the strengthening of permanent postures. This presupposes increased intelligence capabilities, which enable us to anticipate crises or threats. This upcoming military programming law will massively increase intelligence appropriations by almost 60% in total. Increased capacity also for surveillance, with drones in particular and means of action in our areas of sovereignty, means of intervention. But sovereignty is also the capacity for resistance, our resilience, and above all cyber resilience. I wish we could double our capacity to deal with major cyber attacks. Faced with seasoned adversaries, sometimes formidable technologically, we will also have to act stronger, to quickly obtain decisive military effects: this implies hardening our tool.
Excerpt from Emmanuel Macron’s speech to the armies
In detail, the budget allocated to the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DRM) and the Directorate of Intelligence and Defense Security (DRSD) will be doubled.
The previous LPM, for the period 2019-2025, of 295 billion euros, had put an end to years of budget cuts in the armies. The new LPM will amount precisely to 413 billion euros, as announced by Emmanuel Macron, i.e. 400 billion budget voted in Parliament, plus 13 billion in extra-budgetary revenue (infrastructure, frequency sales …), specifies AFP .
However, the new budget should be tempered by inflation and the explosion in energy costs.
This Military Programming Law should be submitted to Parliament for a vote by the summer.