Macron announced that France will expand its nuclear arsenal and broaden its deterrence concept to include other European nations, marking the most significant nuclear strategy adjustment in 34 years.
On 3 March 2026, Emmanuel Macron, President of France, delivered a speech in Brittany at the Île Longue naval base near Brest. He stated that the increasingly unstable security environment requires France to upgrade its nuclear capabilities by increasing the number of warheads from around 300 and preparing to deploy a new nuclear-armed submarine named The Invincible in 2036. Macron also announced that France will no longer disclose the actual number of nuclear warheads publicly.
The French leader revealed that eight European countries—namely the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, and Denmark—have agreed to join the "advanced deterrence" policy strategy. These countries will be able to participate in France's air-based nuclear force exercises (force de frappe) and host airbases for France's nuclear bomber aircraft.
Macron said the next 50 years will be the era of nuclear weapons. The dispersal of strategic air forces across Europe will make it harder for adversaries to calculate responses. Allies will also contribute to developing enhanced capabilities, such as space-based early warning systems, air defense systems, and long-range missiles.
Source: BBC