The French White Paper on defence and national security
Key findings
1. The world has changed profoundly since the publication of the previous White Paper in 1994, in particular under the impact of globalisation. The formidable acceleration of information exchanges, the increased trade in goods and services as well as the rapid circulation of individuals, have transformed our economic, social and political environment in both positive and negative ways, as well as the paradigms of national and international security. The hierarchy of powers has changed and will continue to evolve. The world is not necessarily more dangerous, but it has become more unstable, more unforeseeable. New crises, in particular from the Middle East to Pakistan have come to the fore and have become more inter-connected. Jihadism-inspired terrorism aims directly at France and Europe, which are in a situation of greater direct vulnerability. As we look to the 2025 horizon, France and Europe will fall within the range of ballistic missiles developed by new powers; new risks have appeared, be it intentional in the case of cyber-attacks or non-intentional, such as health-related or environmental crises amplified by the deterioration of the biosphere. The White Paper aims at presenting the strategic appraisal for the next fifteen years to come, and consequences are drawn in order to draft together a new defence and security policy.
2. The major innovation compared to the previous White paper is that the security interests are appraised globally without restricting the analysis to defence issues. A national security strategy is defined in order to provide responses to “all the risks and threats which could endanger the life of the Nation.” The scope of national security includes the defence policy, but is not limited to it. In order to better ensure the defence of the interests of France and the mission of protecting its population, the national security strategy calls upon the interior security policy, for anything which is not directly related to individual security of persons and property or law and order, as well as the civil security policy. Other policies such as foreign policy and economic policy also contribute directly to national security.
3. The national security strategy includes five strategic functions which the defence and security forces must master: knowledge and anticipation, prevention, deterrence, protection and intervention. The combination of these five functions must be flexible and evolve over time, adapting to the changes in the strategic environment. The White Paper will therefore be updated before the discussion of each new Military Programme and Interior Security Bills.
4. Knowledge and anticipation represent a new strategic function and have become a priority. In a world characterised by uncertainty and instability, knowledge represents our first line of defence. Knowledge guarantees our autonomy in decision-making and enables France to preserve its strategic initiative. It is knowledge which must be provided as early on as possible to decision-makers, military commanders and those in charge of internal and civil security in order to go from forecasts to informed action. Intelligence of all kinds, including from space and prospective studies, takes on major importance.
5. Protection of both the French population and territory is at the very heart of our strategy because of the existence of new vulnerabilities to which they are directly exposed. The goal is to protect the nation in times of major crisis while increasing its resilience defined as the “capability of public authorities and the French society to respond to a major crisis and rapidly restore normal functioning.” Reinforcing resilience requires a change in the means and methods of surveillance used over the national territory including land, sea, air and now space and to develop a more rapid and wider in scope, response capability for French public authorities. Communication and information systems and civil warning systems lie at the centre of the crisis management and preparedness system. One novel aspect is that operational goals in protection missions are now assigned jointly to both internal security services, civil security services and the armed forces. Coordination between civilian and military departments and agencies is one of the fundamental principles of the new strategy.
6. As regards our conflict prevention and intervention capabilities, the White Paper provides for the concentration on a priority geographical axis from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, the Arab-Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. This axis corresponds to the areas where the risks related to the strategic interests of France and Europe are the highest. The White Paper also takes account of the growing importance of Asia for national security and favours both presence and cooperation in this direction from the Indian Ocean. In parallel, France will preserve its prevention and action capabilities on the Western and Eastern seaboards of the African continent as well as in the Sahel, in particular to fight against trafficking and acts of terrorism. France will radically change the existing system of defence and military cooperation agreements to evolve toward a partnership between Europe and Africa and cooperation in defence and security which will favour the development and strengthening of African peacekeeping capabilities. The armed forces will retain sufficient assets in the West- Indies-French Guyana zone to be used for the protection of the Kourou space centre and the fight against narcotics trafficking. The Gendarmerie and civil security forces will be reinforced in the DOM-COM (overseas departments and territories). The White Paper also sets forth a series of guidelines for the intervention of French armed forces on foreign theatres.
7. Nuclear deterrence remains an essential concept of national security. It is the ultimate guarantee of the security and independence of France. The sole purpose of the nuclear deterrent is to prevent any State-originating aggression against the vital interests of the nation wherever it may come from and in whatever shape or form. Given the diversity of situations to which France might be confronted in an age of globalisation, the credibility of the deterrent is based on the ability to provide the President , with an autonomous and sufficiently wide and diversified range of assets and options. This requires the modernisation of two components: the sea-based ballistic missile submarine force and the airborne missiles carried by nuclear-capable combat aircraft. Even though there may not be any direct threat of aggression today against France, it is imperative to retain the capability to preserve the freedom of action of our nation if our vital interests are threatened with blackmail. France will have the means to develop its capability as long as nuclear weapons are necessary for its security. However, France has taken the initiative in the area of nuclear disarmament and shall continue to do so. France is particularly active in the fight against the proliferation of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons as well as the delivery missiles.
8. The European ambition stands as a priority. Making the European Union a major player in crisis management and international security is one of the central tenets of our security policy. France wants Europe to be equipped with the corresponding military and civilian capability. The White Paper proposes several concrete goals for European defence in the coming years :
- Set up an overall intervention capability of 60,000 soldiers, deployable for one year in a distant theatre with the necessary air and naval forces;
- Achieve the capability to deploy for a significant duration two or three peacekeeping or peace-enforcement operations and several civilian operations of lesser scope in separate theatres;
- Increase the European planning and operational capability both military and civilian, in parallel to the development of interventions outside the European Union;
- Create impetus and restructure the European defence industry.
In addition, the White Paper emphasises four priority areas for the protection of European citizens : the reinforcement of cooperation in the fight against terrorism and organised crime; the development of European civil protection capabilities; the coordination of the defence against cyber-attack; and the securing of energy and strategic raw materials supply.
Lastly, the White Paper advocates the drafting of a The implementation of the national security strategy will result in the creation of new bodies presented below.
9. The White Paper emphasises that the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance are complementary. France is committed to the renovation of NATO in particular on the occasion of NATO’s 60th anniversary, to be celebrated in 2009.
Europe and the North Atlantic Alliance have changed considerably, since the decision taken by General de Gaulle in 1966 to withdraw French forces from the NATO integrated military command, and since the previous White Paper published in 1994. The European Union has emerged as a major player in the international community. NATO has maintained its responsibility for the collective defence of the allies, as recalled in the Lisbon Treaty, but is also a peacekeeping instrument (Afghanistan, Kosovo). There is no competition between NATO and the European Union – the two are complementary: today we need both to come to grips with the threats and crises.
This reality leads us to advocate the full participation of France in the structures of NATO. This evolution will go hand in hand with the reinforcement of the European Union in the area of crisis management and the search for a new balance between Americans and Europeans within NATO. As regards the position of France, the White Paper recalls the three main principles in direct continuity with those defined by General de Gaulle : complete independence of our nuclear forces ; French authorities must retain full freedom of assessment, which implies the absence of automatic military commitment and the maintenance of assets allowing for strategic autonomy in particular by increasing our intelligence capabilities; and lastly, permanent freedom of decision which means that no French forces shall be permanently placed under NATO command in peace time.
10. The White Paper defines a consistent defence effort based on the dual concern of improving without delay the availability and modernisation of the most frequently used equipment, and launching programmes related to intelligence and preparation for the future. It advocates therefore as a priority the reinforcement of the protection of our land, sea and air combat forces (individual soldier protection, armoured vehicles, equipment maintenance, and anti-air and anti-cruise missile protection of our Navy ships). The White Paper also calls for the launching of new programmes, during the same timeframe, in particular in the field of knowledge and anticipation (knowledge-based security, observation, electronic intelligence, early warning) on land, at sea and in the air with the development of surveillance and armed drones, as well as both offensive and defensive cyber-war capabilities.
11. The new format of our armed forces is to be determined on the basis of operational goals decided by the government based on the proposals made by the White Paper Commission. The main force levels proposed are as follows:
- An operational ground force (Force Opérationelle Terrestre) of 88,000 men, enabling a force-projection capability of 30,000 soldiers with six month notice, 5,000 soldiers on permanent operational alert, and the capability to mobilise 10,000 soldiers on the national territory to support civilian authorities in case of a major crisis;
- An aircraft-carrier group including combat, surveillance and rescue aircraft and helicopters, 18 frigates, six SSNs and the capability to deploy one or two naval groups either for amphibious operations or for the protection of sea lines;
- A joint fleet of 300 combat aircraft, regrouping the combat aircraft of both the Air Force and the Navy (Rafale and modernised Mirage 2000-D) under the operational command of the Chief of staff of the armies and a single management by the Air Force ; this force will allow for the permanent deployment of 5 squadrons on our national territory and a force projection capability outside of the national territory of 70 combat aircraft with an additional capability of 10 aircraft on permanent alert;
12. France shall devote a major financial effort to its defence, consistent with the priorities and choices made for its operational capabilities. Therefore defence spending will not decrease. During the initial period annual resources (excluding pension charges,) will be constant in volume, that is, increasing at the same pace as inflation. They could include exceptional resources. Then, during a second phase, starting in the year 2012, the budget will increase at the pace of 1% per year in volume, that is, 1% above the inflation rate. Between now and 2020, the aggregate effort devoted to defence excluding pensions will amount to 377 billion Euros. In parallel, restructuring will lead to considerable decrease in staff over six or seven years and operating cost reductions in the Ministry and the armed forces. The resulting savings will be totally reinvested in the procurement budget which will increase from an average of 15.5 billion Euros in past years to 18 billion Euros on average per year for the period 2009-2020, and also in the improvement of defence personnel training and living conditions.
13. Industry must be European. Individual European countries can no longer master every technology and capability at national level. France must retain its areas of sovereignty, concentrated on the capability necessary for the maintenance of the strategic and political autonomy of the nation: nuclear deterrence; ballistic missiles; SSNs; and cyber-security are amongst the priorities. As regards the other technologies and capacities that it may wish to acquire, France believes that the European framework must be privileged: combat aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, satellites, electronic components etc., although procurement policy must include acquisitions on the world market.
14. The reorganisation of public authorities is necessary in order to take account of this new national security strategy. The Defence and National Security Council chaired by the President of the Republic will be created. The National Intelligence Council will be one of its major bodies. The Prime minister will be in charge of managing the implementation of the decisions taken by the Defence and National Security Council. The 1959 ordinance dealing with the general organisation of defence will be reformed in order to implement this new strategy. In addition, the role of the Parliament shall be reinforced considerably, in particular as regards the intervention of French armed forces in foreign operations, the monitoring of the orientations of the White Paper and the policy as regards bilateral defence agreements. Parliament plays an important role in expressing the support of the nation for the national security strategy.
15. The security of the nation depends on the men and women who choose to serve their country and their fellow citizens. The goal of the strategy is to enable them to reach the highest possible degree of professionalism in all sectors, both civilian and military, and for all types of contracts. In as much as possible, joint training and shared recruitment policies in the various ministries will be implemented. A special course track to train external and internal intelligence personnel will be set up. In every category of the Civil Service, awareness to national security issues will be reinforced in particular for the students of the Grandes Ecoles (élite post-graduate schools for high officials (ENA), police officers (ENSP), and magistrates (ENM). The principle of mobility in public administrations will be instituted for high-potential senior officers.
16. The support of the Nation is the necessary condition for the national security strategy to be effective. The White Paper advocates a new impulse in the following areas: training of young people as well as of elected officials; renovation of the Compulsory Defence Preparation Day (Journée d’Appel pour la Défense - JAPD); creation of a civilian service corps; organisation of a coherent and attractive array of voluntary organisations to serve the security of France; strategic research both at the national and European levels; creation of a scientific cooperation foundation which could support the European Doctoral School in security studies; reorganisation of the training provided today by four major institutions into two poles ( defence & foreign affairs; internal security).
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