Macron Unveils Major Nuclear Expansion By 2035

France has talked a big, hawkish anti-Russia game of late, but this week President Macron has actually backed up the rhetoric with action, but which brings Europe another step closer to nuclear escalation with Moscow.

France unveiled earlier this week plans to establish a new nuclear-capable air base, which will be its fourth, also to be home to two squadrons of the latest version of its domestic-made Dassault Rafale multirole fighter.

France plans to invest around 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) to establish the new nuke-capable installation. A moment, the three air bases equipped with secure weapons storage for nuclear missiles are: Saint-Dizier, Istres, and Avord.

Speaking of the location of what will become the next base to play nuclear host, Macron said, “The Luxeuil air base is about to be upgraded in an unprecedented way and regain its full role in France’s nuclear deterrent,” describing that it will need “massive investment” to be modernized.

“Announcing the storage of modern nuclear missiles on an air base less than 200 kilometers from the German border is strategic signaling,” Politico has commented. “It also comes after Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz said he wanted to hold talks about France’s nuclear deterrent as fears grow of a U.S. retreat from the continent.”

“If we are to avoid war, our country and our continent must continue to defend, equip and prepare themselves,” Macron said.

Storing ASN4G air-launched hypersonic nuclear missiles there will require the permanent staff to double to at least 2,000 people. The French President set a bar of preparing Luxeuil to host an expansion of next-generation Rafale fighter jets and their hypersonic nuclear missiles by the year 2035.

The double-engine Rafale is capable of flying supersonic speeds and can depart runways as short as 400 meters. Produced by Dassault Aviation, it has been a central fighter of the French Air Force since 2000.

Macron has recently floated the idea of France extending its nuclear deterrent to all of Europe, amid fears in NATO that the US under Trump is retreating from its leadership role, also as Washington holds direct talks with Moscow.

France remains the only nuclear power in the European Union, and it possesses some 290 nuclear warheads - according to media estimates – which is why Russian leaders have slammed all of Macron’s latest comments as “extremely confrontational”.