France's defence space strategy: Continuity and development of the French military space programme

On 13 July 2019, on the eve of the military parade on France's National Day, President Emmanuel Macron announced new prospects for the country's military space programme. The announcements were embodied in a Space Defence Strategy publicly revealed a few days later, on July 25, by the Ministry of the Armed Forces. What stage does the announcement of this defence strategy mark? How can it be placed in the development of “La France de l'espace”? This Analysis argues that France's defence space strategy, while continuing the development of the country's military space activities, reflects a paradigm shift that is both organisational and operational and should be questioned.

Crédit photo : maquettes des deux satellites Syracuse 4. Présenté au salon du Bourget 2017 au stand de la DGA (Licence Creative Commons / Tiraden)