France to Expand Nuclear Deterrent Amidst Europe’s Uncertain Future

Posted: 22nd March 2025

Rafale B from Escadron de Chasse 2/4 ‘La Fayette’ carrying an inert ASMP-A missile in 2019. (Image credit: Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace/Laure-Anne Maucorps)

President Emmanuel Macron has announced the reopening of Luxeuil Air Base, which will host 40 newly built Rafale F5 fighter jets equipped with nuclear-tipped hypersonic missiles. 

Announced on the Mar. 18, 2025, France will invest 1.5 billion euros into Luxeuil Air Base to equip it with the French Air and Space Force’s newest variant of the 4.5 generation Rafale, which will operate in the nuclear deterrent role with the hypersonic ASN4G nuclear-tipped cruise missile.

here+are+the+latest+stories+from+The+Aviationist#the-french-nuclear-warning-shot”>The French Nuclear Warning Shothere+are+the+latest+stories+from+The+Aviationist#from-asmp-to-asn4g”>From ASMP to ASN4G

Luxeuil, known locally as Base Aérienne 116, had been a part of France’s nuclear deterrent infrastructure until 2011, when it was converted into a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) base, operating in this manner from 2015. Currently housing the Escadron de Chasse 1/2 Cigognes, flying Mirage 2000-5Fs in the QRA role, the air base will be used from 2032 exclusively by two squadrons of the new build Rafale F5, which will take on the nuclear deterrent alongside QRA and other NATO duties.

The Mirage 2000-5Fs currently operating out of Luxeuil will retire by 2029, with many of them slated to be gifted to Ukraine as a part of France’s military aid to the country. This will free up both pilots and hangar space for the new Rafales as the squadrons form in 2032 and 2036, respectively.

This new announcement returns the base to France’s ‘Force de dissuasion’ as it already houses much of the infrastructure necessary to facilitate the operation of nuclear-equipped fighter aircraft, with storage facilities for nuclear weapons already built.