What kind of a military does France have?

Answer 1

France is a major world power, with a professional military that has superb equipment, much of it indigenously-designed and produced. France spends about $45 billion a year on defense, about 2.6 percent of France’s GDP.

One of the biggest claims France has to major power status is its nuclear arsenal. Consisting of four SSBNs, three Le Triomphant class and the L’Inflexible, each of these carries sixteen M4/M45 missiles, which have a range of 5300 kilometers, and carrying six MIRVs packing a 150-kiloton nuclear warhead. France also has a force of 70 Mirage 2000N bombers carrying the ASMP cruise missile, with a range of 300 kilometers and packing a 300-kiloton warhead. Super Etendards flying from the Charles de Gaulle can also carry this missile.

The French Army is also a powerful force. This force consists of eight brigades, and is now all-volunteer. This has made is much more capable. Equipped with a mixture of LeClerc (240) and AMX-30 (780) tanks, 1050 AMX-10 IFVs, 3820 VAB APCs, and a mix of artillery (216 towed 155mm artillery pieces and 372 self-propelled artillery pieces). The French Army also operates 80 Tigre attack helicopters and 267 Gazelle attack helicopters. Since shifting to an all-volunteer force, the French army has become much better in terms of quality, backed by career non-commissioned officers. This force has carried out operations, mostly in Africa (4,400 in Cote d’Ivorie/Ivory Coast, 1,200 in Chad, and 200 in the Central African Republic), but also in Bosnia (500 troops), Afghanistan (1,800 troops), and Kosovo (3,000).

The French Navy is also a force to be reckoned with. It operates the only CVN outside the U.S. Navy, the Charles de Gaulle. It also has a force of 12 destroyers (two guided-missile destroyers of the Cassard class, a single Suffren-class destroyer, two Tourville-class destroyers, and seven Georges Leyuges-class destroyers), and fifteen frigates (five Lafayette-class and ten D’Estienne d’Orves-class frigates). In addition to the four SSBNs, France also operates six Amethyste-class SSNs. This navy is slightly behind the Royal Navy – the French have a carrier that operates the Rafale, which outperforms the British Sea Harrier, but the British have a larger submarine force and the Royal Navy arguably has the best personnel on a man-for-man basis.

The French Air Force is also one of the best in the world. Among its aircraft are the Mirage 2000, which comes in several variants: The Mirage 2000C, which is primarily an air-defense fighter; the Mirage 2000D, a ground-attack version capable of carrying a wide variety of bombs and missiles join with the Mirage 2000N, which is the backbone of the French Air Force’s nuclear deterrence arm. France also has the Rafale, a powerful multi-role fighter that has some stealth features. France is retiring the older Mirage F1 and Jaguar fighter-bombers, while the Mirage 2000Cs are being upgraded to the Mirage 2000-5, making them potent multi-role aircraft.

France also has the industrial infrastructure – many of its military designs are indigenous, and produced in France. While this can be expensive, it also means that France does not rely on anybody else’s designs. France has worked with other countries in the past (most
notably with England on the Jaguar). As a world power, France arguably ranks fourth at the present, behind the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia due to its nuclear arsenal and professional military.

Answer 2

I've been quite aggravated at times by some of France's policies...particularly when they seem so uncooperative with the U.S. on some things. In my disgust I've also participated in the joking about the French and their military. The truth is however that much of the opinion people have about the fighting ability of the French is inaccurate. Yes their government at times has seemed too passive, but i think it is a big mistake to believe that the French are not good military. Because they were invaded in both world wars people seem to think that they are somehow cowardly or lack the ability to fight. I think it might be a good idea to read historical accounts of the French resistance in WWII. The French have chosen a different approach to dealing with world affairs. If the U.S. is in fact the worlds policemen, then the French are the worlds diplomats, and as frustrating as that can be I think we still need to recognize that they are a strong free country and accord them the respect they deserve. Let's be fair here.

Answer 3

I am always amazed that so many people who considered themselves educated enough to be in the position to share their opinion actually seem little more than propaganda regurgitators. France has a rich military history and its current army is recognized (by those actually qualified to evaluate military ability) as one of the best in the world- and that even before one considers it has enough nuclear weapons to depopulate any country in the world. I know this will not sway the those that are intend on showing their intellectual paralysis by resorting to the inevitable one liner but I can always hope...

Answer 4

Today the French military in entirely different from how it was in World War II. It's military has links to North Africa and the Middle East. According to the source that I am providing, the French military is 15 % Muslim. France does posses nuclear weapons. It has been willing to share its nuclear technology with Iraq, but the nuclear reactor was stopped in 1981. More recently, France has been assisting Islamic fascist countries such as Iran with their nuclear aspirations as well.

Answer 5

I have two questions who above has been in the forces? And who has worked with the French Military? Oh not to many.
Not qualified to have an opinion on this one chaps
And remember it was the French blockade that secured the American Independence The French were also there for the whole of WW1 and the free French all of WW2 always on time
And they could have toled you an awful lot about Viet Nam is You had asked

Answer 6

Wikipedia article linked below

Answer 7

France has excellent rifles...never fired a round and only dropped once.

Answer 8

Well they produced one of the worlds best tanks the leclaric and had a huge hand in the production of the Euro fighter and they have some pretty neat equipment .
I dont recall them ever winning a war though

Answer 9

That is too funny!! France doesn't have a military. They have cowards.

Answer 10

A very respectable one, considering that they're not going to be invaded by anyone.