The 2008 French
White Paper
A white paper is a report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body's philosophy on the matter. It is meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision. A white paper ...
on Defence and National Security was a defence reform of the
French Armed Forces
The French Armed Forces (french: Forces armées françaises) encompass the Army, the Navy, the Air and Space Force and the Gendarmerie of the French Republic. The President of France heads the armed forces as Chief of the Armed Forces.
Franc ...
. On 31 July 2007, president
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa (; ; born 28 January 1955) is a French politician who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012.
Born in Paris, he is of Hungarian, Greek Jewish, and French origin. Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Se ...
ordered M. Jean-Claude Mallet, a member of the Council of State, to head up a 35-member commission charged with a wide-ranging review of French defence. The commission issued its white paper () in early 2008. Acting upon its recommendations, Sarkozy began making radical changes in French defence policy and structures starting in the summer of 2008. The proposed force structure was to be complete by 2014-15.
Summary
* As part of the white paper Sarkozy declared that France "will now participate fully in
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
."
* Total cuts of 54,000 personnel.
* The French Armed Forces will retain the ability to deploy up to 30,000 troops in a single overseas deployment.
* For the first time, cyber security (both defensive and offensive) was also listed as a key priority for the French state.
French Army
* A reduction in personnel to 131,000 regular and civilian personnel. Of which the 'operational force' of the army will consist of 88,000 troops.
* A reduction of over 150
Leclerc main battle tanks to an operational fleet of 250.
* A strength of 80 attack helicopters and 130 support helicopters.
* Orders for 25,000 FELIN-type infantry combat suits.
French Navy
* A reduction in personnel to 44,000 regular and civilian personnel.
* Possibility of a
new aircraft carrier to complement the existing
Charles de Gaulle (R91)
''Charles de Gaulle'' is the flagship of the French Navy. The ship, commissioned in 2001, is the tenth French aircraft carrier, the first French nuclear-powered surface vessel, and the only nuclear-powered carrier completed outside of the Unit ...
. Final decision to be made in 2012.
* Possibility of a 4th
Mistral-class amphibious assault ship
The ''Mistral'' class is a class of five amphibious assault ships built by France. Also known as helicopter carriers, and referred to as "projection and command ships" (french: links=no, bâtiments de projection et de commandement or BPC), a '' ...
.
* The 5
La Fayette-class light frigates to be re-classified as "1st rank frigates".
* A total strength of 18 "1st rank frigates" (including the less powerful La Fayette-class).
* Expected order of
FREMM multipurpose frigates reduced from 17 to 11. Units 10 and 11 to be built in the air-defence role (FREDA derivative).
* 6 light surveillance frigates to remain in service (the
Floréal-class).
* The construction of 6
Barracuda-class submarines.
French Air Force
* A reduction in personnel to around 50,000 regular and civilian personnel.
* Operational command of French Air Force and French Navy fast-jet combat aircraft will be combined under the Chief of the Defence Staff.
* The air force and navy will operate no more than 300 fast-jet combat aircraft consisting of;
Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale (, literally meaning "gust of wind", and "burst of fire" in a more military sense) is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Equipped with a wide ran ...
multi-role fighters and modernised
Mirage 2000-D
The Dassault Mirage 2000N is a variant of the Mirage 2000 designed for nuclear strike. It formed the core of the French air-based strategic nuclear deterrent. The Mirage 2000D is its conventional attack counterpart.
Development
The Mirage ...
strike aircraft.
* Ability to deploy up to 70 fast-jet combat aircraft overseas.
* 4 air force and 3 navy AEW&C systems.
* A fleet of refueling tanker and transports aircraft comprising; 14
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body aircraft developed and produced by Airbus.
Airbus conceived several derivatives of the A300, its first airliner in the mid-1970s. Then the company began development on the A330 twinjet in parallel with the A340 ...
refueling tankers and 70 tactical transport aircraft.
See also
*
2013 French White Paper on Defence and National Security
References
{{reflist
Defence white papers
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...