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French President Emmanuel Macron pledged on Tuesday to increase orders for Rafale fighter jets and invest €1.5bn in an air base as part of the country's nuclear deterrence
The announcement came during a visit to the Luxeuil-les-Bains air base in eastern France
which is a key strategic site for the country's air force
"The world we live in is increasingly dangerous
referring to the shifting global alliances
"Our country and our continent must continue to defend
and prepare itself if we want to avoid war," he warned
referring to Russia's growing military threat
Two new Rafale squadrons will be established — totalling about 40 aircraft — at the Luxeuil-les-Bains base
which will receive €1.5bn of modernisation funding
By 2035, Luxeuil-les-Bains will become the first base to host the next-generation Rafale fighter jets, which are equipped with a hypersonic nuclear missile.
Macron has been spearheading the move towards a more robust common European defence framework in recent weeks
The French president has said he is ready to use France's nuclear arsenal to defend Europe
Only France and the UK have their own nuclear weapons on the continent
Macron is set to travel to Berlin to meet with outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
They will discuss defence-related issues just as Germany's parliament passed a historic package boosting defence spending on Tuesday afternoon
By 2035, upgraded Rafale fighter jets armed with a hypersonic nuclear missile will be stationed at the 116 Luxeuil-les-Bains airbase in France, states French President Emmanuel Macron, according to BFMTV
French President Emmanuel Macron wants to make Air Base 116 the "home" for future new models of the Rafale
which are "key components" of France's nuclear deterrence forces
The airbase will receive a €1.5 billion investment for modernization
it will accommodate two new Rafale squadrons
Macron also confirmed that France will increase its orders for Rafale jets
which he described as essential in the face of a geopolitical "turning point."
BFMTV adds that France's nuclear deterrence system currently involves three airbases:
Photo: Air Base 116 Luxeuil-les-Bains (Google Maps)
At the end of February, the media reported that Paris was ready to use its nuclear deterrence forces to defend Europe. Specifically, fighter jets armed with nuclear weapons could be deployed to Germany
Later, during an address to the nation, Macron stated that he had initiated strategic discussions on protecting the entire continent with France's nuclear arsenal.