Editing French Armed Forces (section)

==International stance==
{{see also|France and weapons of mass destruction}}
Today, French military doctrine is based on the concepts of national independence, nuclear deterrence (''see [[Force de dissuasion]]''), and military self-sufficiency. [[France]] is a charter member of [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization|NATO]], and has worked actively with its allies to adapt NATO—internally and externally—to the post-[[Cold War]] environment. In December 1995, France announced that it would increase its participation in NATO's military wing, including the Military Committee (France withdrew from NATO's military bodies in 1966 whilst remaining full participants in the Organisation's political Councils). France remains a firm supporter of the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]] and other cooperative efforts. [[Paris]] hosted the May 1997 NATO-Russia [[Summit (meeting)|Summit]] which sought the signing of the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security. Outside of NATO, France has actively and heavily participated in both coalition and unilateral peacekeeping efforts in [[Africa]], the [[Middle East]], and the [[Balkans]], frequently taking a lead role in these operations. France has undertaken a major restructuring to develop a professional military that will be smaller, more rapidly deployable, and better tailored for operations outside of mainland France. Key elements of the restructuring include: reducing personnel, bases and headquarters, and rationalisation of equipment and the [[arms industry in France|armaments industry]].

Since the end of the [[Cold War]], France has placed a high priority on arms control and non-proliferation. French Nuclear testing in the [[Pacific]], and the [[Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior|sinking of the ''Rainbow Warrior'']] strained French relations with its Allies, South Pacific states (namely [[New Zealand]]), and world opinion. France agreed to the [[Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty]] in 1992 and supported its indefinite extension in 1995. After conducting a controversial final series of six nuclear tests on [[Mururoa]] in the [[Pacific Ocean|South Pacific]], the French signed the [[Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty]] in 1996. Since then, France has implemented a moratorium on the production, export, and use of anti-personnel [[land mine|landmines]] and supports negotiations leading toward a universal ban. The French are key players in the adaptation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe to the new strategic environment. France remains an active participant in: the major programs to restrict the transfer of technologies that could lead to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction: the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the [[Australia Group]] (for chemical and biological weapons), and the [[Missile Technology Control Regime]]. France has also signed and ratified the [[Chemical Weapons Convention]].

===White Papers===
{{main|2008 French White Paper on Defence and National Security}}

====2008====
On 31 July 2007, President [[Nicolas Sarkozy]] ordered M. Jean-Claude Mallet, a member of the Council of State, to head up a thirty-five member commission charged with a wide-ranging review of French defence. The commission issued its [[White Paper]] in early 2008.<ref>Official Presidential Website, [http://www.elysee.fr/elysee/elysee.fr/anglais/speeches_and_documents/2007/white_paper_on_defence_and_national_security_letter_to_m_jean-claude_mallet_member_of_the_conseil_d_etat.79322.html Letter of Engagement to M. Jean-Claude Mallet, 31 July 2007] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921130731/http://www.elysee.fr/elysee/elysee.fr/anglais/speeches_and_documents/2007/white_paper_on_defence_and_national_security_letter_to_m_jean-claude_mallet_member_of_the_conseil_d_etat.79322.html |date=21 September 2008 }}</ref> Acting upon its recommendations, President Sarkozy began making radical changes in French defense policy and structures starting in the summer of 2008. In keeping with post-[[Cold War]] changes in European politics and power structures, the French military's traditional focus on territorial defence will be redirected to meet the challenges of a global threat environment. Under the reorganisation, the identification and destruction of [[terrorist]] networks both in metropolitan France and in [[francophone Africa]] will be the primary task of the French military. Redundant military bases will be closed and new weapons systems projects put on hold to finance the restructuring and global deployment of intervention forces. In a historic change, Sarkozy furthermore has declared that France "will now participate fully in [[NATO]]," four decades after former French president General [[Charles de Gaulle]] withdrew from the alliance's command structure and ordered American troops off French soil.<ref>Jim Hoagland, "France's Whirlwind of Change", Real Clear Politics, 18 June 2008 [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/06/sarkozy_on_the_move.html]</ref>

====2013====
{{Main|2013 French White Paper on Defence and National Security}}

In May 2014, high ranking defence chiefs of the French Armed Forces threatened to resign if the defence budget received further cuts on top of those already announced in the 2013 White Paper. They warned that further cuts would leave the armed forces unable to support operations abroad.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/french-military-heads-threaten-to-resign-over-grave-defense-cuts |title=French Military Heads Threaten to Resign Over 'Grave' Defense Cuts |last1=Samuels |first1=Henry |date=23 May 2014 |website=www.atlanticcouncil.org |publisher=Telegraph |access-date=27 May 2014}}</ref>

===Recent operations===
[[File:Opérations extérieures depuis 2001.png|thumb|right|upright=2.0|
{{Legend|#0000FF|France}}
{{Legend|#F0002B|French military interventions since 2001: [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|Afghanistan]]; [[2004 French–Ivorian clashes|Ivory Coast]]; [[Chadian Civil War (2005–10)|Chad]]; [[2011 military intervention in Libya|Libya]]; [[Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa|Somalia]]; [[Northern Mali conflict|Mali]]; [[Central African Republic conflict under the Djotodia administration|Central African Republic]]; [[Syrian Civil War|Syria]]; [[American-led intervention in Iraq (2014–present)|Iraq]].}}
]]

There are currently 36,000 French troops [[Deployments of the French military|deployed]] in foreign territories—such operations are known as "OPEX" for ''Opérations Extérieures'' ("External Operations"). Among other countries, France provides troops for the United Nations force stationed in [[Haiti]] following the [[2004 Haiti rebellion]]. France has sent troops, especially [[special forces]], into [[Afghanistan]] to help the United States and NATO forces fight the remains of the [[Taliban]] and [[Al Qaeda]]. In [[Opération Licorne]] a force of a few thousand French soldiers is stationed in [[Ivory Coast]] on a UN peacekeeping mission. These troops were initially sent under the terms of a mutual protection pact between France and the Ivory Coast, but the mission has since evolved into the current UN peacekeeping operation. The French Armed Forces have also played a leading role in the ongoing UN peacekeeping mission along the [[Lebanon]]-[[Israel]] border as part of the cease-fire agreement that brought the [[2006 Lebanon War]] to an end. Currently, France has 2,000 army personnel deployed along the border, including infantry, armour, artillery and air defence. There are also naval and air personnel deployed offshore.

The French Joint Force and Training Headquarters (État-Major Interarmées de Force et d'Entraînement) at Air Base 110 near [[Creil]] maintains the ability to command a medium or large-scale international operation, and runs exercises .<ref>[http://www.defense.gouv.fr/ema/commandement/organismes_et_directions_interarmees/emia_fe/emia_fe] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605155257/http://www.defense.gouv.fr/ema/commandement/organismes_et_directions_interarmees/emia_fe/emia_fe|date=June 5, 2010}}</ref> In 2011, from 19 March, France participated in the enforcement of a [[Libyan no-fly zone|no-fly zone]] over northern [[Libya]], during the [[2011 Libyan civil war|Libyan Civil war]], in order to prevent forces loyal to [[Muammar Gaddafi]] from carrying out air attacks on [[Anti-Gaddafi forces]]. This operation was known as [[Opération Harmattan]] and was part of France's involvement in the conflict in the NATO-led coalition, enforcing [[UN Security Council Resolution 1973]]. On 11 January 2013 France begun [[Operation Serval]] to fight Islamists in [[Mali]] and the [[Sahel Region|Sahal Region]] with African support but without NATO involvement and launched [[Operation Barkhane]] to combat terror in African Sahal from 2014 to 2022.

===Exercises===
[[File:French air force Dassault Rafale refuels from a U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender.jpg|thumb|A [[Dassault Rafale]] refuels from a USAF KC-10 Extender]] 
France participates in several recurring exercises with other nations, including:
* [[South America air forces maneuvers|CRUZEX]], joint aerial combat training exercises in Brazil.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110719031120/http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/operacoes_aereas/cruzex/index.php?page=mostra&id=212&idioma=1 FAB In CRUZEX IV Coalition Force's backstage]</ref><ref>[http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/cruzex.pdf FAB CRUZEX IV] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719031147/http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/cruzex.pdf |date=2011-07-19 }} {{in lang|pt}}</ref>
* [[Caraibe 2013]], every two years in the Caribbean, centering on [[Martinique]] and [[Guadeloupe]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lc.ambafrance.org/FRENCH-MILITARY-EXERCISE-CARAIBE |title=FRENCH MILITARY EXERCISE – CARAIBE 2013 |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=3 May 2013 |website=La France dans la Caraïbe |publisher=Government of France |access-date= 8 May 2021}}</ref>
* [[Exercise Croix du Sud|Croix du Sud]], in New Caledonia every two years with Australia, New Zealand, the United States and other Pacific nations.
* [[Varuna (naval exercise)|Varuna]], an annual naval exercise with India.
* [[Air Defender 23|NATO Air Defender 2023]], the largest deployment exercise in NATO's history.
In 2023, Exercise Orion, the largest in decades, is to be held in the [[Champagne-Ardenne]] region. About 10,000 soldiers are expected to take part, along with the French navy and possibly forces from Belgium, Britain, and the United States.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/03/31/the-french-armed-forces-are-planning-for-high-intensity-war |title=The French armed forces are planning for high-intensity war |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=31 March 2021 |newspaper=The Economist |access-date=8 May 2021 |url-access= limited}}</ref>