Sobering interview by @elise_vincent of the Chief of the French Air and Space Force on the security challenges France is facing in the air domain and the outer space. Some excerpts bellow 👇
lemonde.fr/international/…
lemonde.fr/international/…
"[Russia] has demonstrated that it is capable of acting in the outer-space on the entire spectrum of conflict. [It] has devices able to jam GPS signals [and] is developing blinding lasers. The anti-satellite missile test demonstrated its ability to go as far as confrontation."
"The air domain is now more and more disputed. Over the last ten years, 98 fighter planes have been shot down or destroyed in Europe's vicinity: in Libya, the Levant, Nagorno-Karabakh, Ukraine, etc."
"We must guarantee our ability to act despite the rise of area denial zones around Europe due to the deployment of numerous surface-to-air systems. Today, there are many Russian systems exported to the region, in particular the S-400 [or] the Kalibr missiles deployed in Syria."
"We must act in three areas. First, we must continue to modernize our combat equipment. Second, we must have an air and space force that is fully integrated into its technological environment. Finally, there is the recruitment and training of units and airmen."
"Our operational ambition for 2030 remains unchanged. The objective is to reach a total capacity of 185 Rafales [compared with 96 today], with the production of new aircraft." Cc @FHeisbourg, @BrunoTertrais, @shashj
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