France Conducts Nuclear Drill

On Tuesday, February 5, the French Ministry of Armed Forces announced that the country conducted a nuclear drill to prepare for potential nuclear attacks. The eleven-hour drill involved all stages of an attack with a Rafale military aircraft. A spokesperson for the French Air Force stated, "These drills are conducted at regular intervals, but they are very rare as a real missile, albeit without a warhead, is fired during them." He did not disclose the exact timing of this experimental operation, and responsible officials declined to say how often such drills are conducted. The news of this drill comes as France seeks to maintain the effectiveness and deterrent capabilities of its nuclear arsenal. Meanwhile, European concerns are rising due to tensions between Russia and the United States. Just a few days prior, the U.S. government announced it would withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, an action that drew criticism from Europe. France also has concerns regarding North Korea's nuclear weapons programs and Iran's ballistic missile capabilities. France spends about 3.5 billion euros annually to keep 300 nuclear warhead-equipped missiles operational, which are carried by submarines and aircraft. The country plans to increase this budget to five billion euros by 2020 for modernizing its nuclear weapons. Since 1996, when a nuclear test in the South Pacific provoked international outrage, France has ceased conducting such tests and joined the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. On Friday, Russia also announced its withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, a reaction to Washington's decision to exit the treaty due to alleged violations by Russia. Under this treaty, signed about 32 years ago, the two countries committed to eliminating all their ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. The French government on Friday urged Russia to adhere to its commitments during the six-month grace period that begins due to the U.S. decision to withdraw from the treaty. The French Minister of Armed Forces stated on Tuesday at a conference in Portugal, "We Europeans cannot just stand by and do nothing regarding our security situation."