As planned in the 2024 – 2030 military planning law (Loi de programmation Militaire – LPM), the defense budget has been increased to 50.5 billion Euros for 2025. The defense budget report was released and tell us more about the French Navy can expect for 2025 and beyond.
Uncertainty
The core of this article was written before the latest events that happened in the French politics during November and December 2024, what follows is thus subject to a lot of uncertainty and is put back in question. Indeed, early December, a vote of no confidence against the last government has been voted, thus postponing to an unclear date the national defence budget approval (50.5 billion € for the defence). Although a new government was formed twenty days later, political tensions remain. Instead of the new budget, a special law has been passed allowing the same budget for each public entities in order “to guarantee the continuity of national life and the regular operation of public services”.
Even though some projects may be postponed (or worst, cancelled), this budget report still shades some light on the status of some naval projects.
The 2025 French defense budget reaches 50.5 billion euros which represents a 3% increase compared to 2024. The 2025 budget also marks the 8th consecutive increase since 2017.
Renewal of the nuclear deterrence force
The French Armed Forces is seen to get a significant increase in their budget, but it is its heart – the nuclear deterrence – that will be the main beneficiary. Around 26 billion euros are allocated to the upgrade and renewal of the deterrence force.
For the at-sea deterrence force composed of 4 Le Triomphant-class SSBNs, the funds will serve to maintain and upgrade the current fleet and their infrastructures, and to pursue the development and production of the M51 submarine-launched nuclear ballistic missile in its 3rd standard – M51.3. Work for the M51.4 will start as well. The navy and air force share the deterrence task and in its regard will keep receiving upgraded air-launched nuclear missile – also known as ASMPA – waiting for the new generation: ASN4G which will replace its predecessor after 2030.
The SNLE 3G (SSBN 3rd generation) program collects around 11 billion euros to pursue the construction and adaptation work of the future 4 SSBNs that will replace the current class. For the record, the steel cutting ceremony for the first SSBN took place early 2024 for a commissioning scheduled “after 2035”.
What ships for the surface fleet ?
2025 should be the official launch year of the PANG – successor of the sole French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. French MoD confirmed the official order of the PANG and its future construction in front of the parliament. The Navy Chief of Staff mentioned during a parliamentary hearing that the order is expected late 2025 without further precisions. Even though, official order and manufacturing is not officially launched, the DGA – French procurement agency – gave its green light to start building the first components like the nuclear reactors that will power the ship. For more details on this program, Naval News wrote extensively about it.
The French “first rank ” vessels are composed of 8 FREMMs and 2 Horizon-class destroyers and should be complemented of 5 FDI frigates. However the latter will not be completely commissioned before 2032. 1 additional FDI, the fourth one out of five planned by the military programming law, will be ordered next year while the first of the series « Amiral Ronarc’h » will be commissioned. She is currently performing sea trials.
The mine warfare flotilla based in Brest, Brittany, will also get its slice of the cake in the frame of the SLAMF program that will replace all legacy mine warfare platforms (Tripartite-class mine hunters, sonar towing vessels, diver support vessels). Order for future mine countermeasure vessels (BGDM) initially expected to be ordered in 2024 and finally postponed to next year will be carried out. The French Navy will have to extend a bit the life of its old Tripatite-class MCMVs. Last year a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed for the development and construction of future MCMVs with Belgium and the Netherlands. The French ships could rely on the experience provided by the rMCM program. In the mean time, the flotilla will take delivery of 2 new mine warfare modules. Naval News recently covered the module in question.
An order for 2 new hydrographic ships and drones – as part of the future hydrographic and oceanographic capability (CHOF) program – should also be executed. The French patrol vessels fleet will be complemented with the arrival of 2 POM (oversea-based OPVs) respectively the third and the fourth out of six eagerly awaited.
The second Jacques Chevallier-class replenishment tanker should also be delivered to the Navy. The latter was recently launched on September. Naval News interviewed the COs of the first in-class ship which made its maiden operational deployment this year.
Update on future Maritime Aircraft
Regarding the AVSIMAR program (Maritime Surveillance Aircraft meant to replace in-service Falcon 50 mainly mainly stationed in French oversea territories), 5 Falcon 2000 from Dassault Aviation should be ordered. For the record, 7 were already ordered prior to 2024. Until then, 2 upgraded Falcon 50 will arrive as temporary gap fillers. In addition, 2 upgraded Atlantique 2 should join the rest of the squadron based at the naval air station of Lan-Bihoué, Brittany.
Naval News noticed that there is no mention of the MAWS program meant to replace the current Atlantique 2 MPAs. The joint French-German program is still facing a dead end following German’s decision to place an order for 8 P-8A to replace its ageing fleet of P-3C Orion meant to retire in the 2030s. Following this decision, in December 2022, the French DGA awarded Airbus Defense and Space and Dassault Aviation two study contracts for the architecture based on the Airbus A320neo and Dassault Falcon 10X platforms.
A rumor surfaced at Euronaval 2024 in November according to which Airbus with the A321 MPA was about to win the “PATMAR Futur” contract. This was supposed to be announced by the end of December but the final decision is still on hold, likely because of the change of government. In any case, the upgraded Atlantique 2 shall fill the gap and remain in service until their replacement arrive.
Same thing for the SDAM program (VTOL UAV for the Navy) especially focused on the VSR 700 from Airbus. In its hearing with the Parliamentary defence commission, the French Navy Chief of Staff highlighted that even though the program seems promising, it is not expected to be in service soon:
“There’s one extraordinary thing about the SDAM, and that is the automatic landing. But one thing that is not so extraordinary is that it’s a long way off. […] I need drones right away. I’d like to have them right now.” French Navy Chief of Staff Nicolas Vaujour
Other options being considered by the Navy for SDAM include Schiebel’ S100 which are already in-service and the under-development (and larger) S300.
Lastly, some updates have been made about the light anti-ship missiles that should have initially equipped the Navy’s H160M helicopters. Indeed, the military programming law has been updated to give priority to laser-guided rockets instead of the ANL/Sea Venom. Naval News understands that a Thales solution is on the table.
Ammunition
An order about an undisclosed number of various missiles will be carried out. Some budget is allocated also for the renovation and upgrade of missiles used by the French Navy including the naval cruise missile (MdCN) and Exocet. Additional F-21 heavyweight torpedoes and Aster surface to air missiles will be delivered to complete the stocks.
Naval News understands a new airburst ammunition for the Rapidfire naval gun system is also expect to be ordered in 2025.
