The French government has proposed a new military programming law (LPM) from 2024 to 2030, which is expected to allocate €400 billion in investments and a total of €413 billion in military requirements. The main focus of the proposed LPM is to support new capability efforts and ongoing programs through the end of the decade. The investments are for additional munitions and weaponry in response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine and the likelihood of high-intensity conflict in Europe. French officials are also reasoning growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific and the rapid pace of technology disruption as incentives for the priorities set in the LPM.
By 2030, France’s annual defence budget will rise to more than €60 billion. It would nearly double the amount allocated in 2017, which was €32 billion.
The French military will continue ongoing capability reboots and launching new initiatives over the next five years. France may launch nanosatellites in the space domain to patrol from lower orbits, the Geostationary Orbit (GEO), to identify likely on-orbit threats to its space-based assets and, if necessary, neutralize the threat with an on-board laser. The on-orbit laser is developed under the moniker of “FLAMHE”. France is also contemplating a ground-to-space laser system under the moniker BLOOMLASE, with both capabilities to be operational by the end of 2020s. The French investments in the military space domain could be €6 billion and above.
