France and Germany conducted their first joint air activity as part of the forward deterrence initiative, a day before announcing new programs as part of an increased defense cooperation.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Two Arm\u00e9e de l\u2019Air et de l\u2019Espace (French Air and Space Force \u2013 FASF) Dassault Rafales and two Luftwaffe (German Air Force) Eurofighter Typhoons conducted their first \u201cjoint air activity\u201d on Jul. 16, 2026, supporting Paris\u2019 \u201cforward deterrence\u201d initiative. During the flight the fighters were refueled by a French A330 \u2018Phenix\u2019 MRTT.<\/p>\n
The drill, that saw the involvement of two twin-seater Rafale<\/a> Bs from France\u2019s Strategic Air Forces (Forces A\u00e9riennes Strat\u00e9giques \u2013 FAS) at Saint-Dizier air base (BA 113) and two Eurofighters<\/a> of the Luftwaffe\u2019s 31st Tactical Air Wing, came a day prior to the Franco-German Defense and Security Council summit held in N\u00f6rvenich, Germany.<\/p>\n French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, accompanied by their respective cabinets, announced on Jul. 17 a series of military strategic and defense industrial collaborations. Among these there is a \u201cGerman conventional participation in a French nuclear exercise,\u201d as per a separate statement<\/a> from the \u00c9lys\u00e9e Palace.<\/p>\n This is a reference to the recurring Poker nuclear exercise, France\u2019s flagship nuclear deterrence drill, of which the first iteration in 2026 was held between Mar. 16 and 17. The latest moves also build upon a Mar. 2, 2026 joint declaration, with which the two countries laid the foundation for the joint strategic military collaboration.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccdDissuasion nucl\u00e9aire | D\u00e9claration commune des forces arm\u00e9es allemandes et fran\u00e7aises. pic.twitter.com\/leQcACgC2o<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Arm\u00e9e fran\u00e7aise \u2013 Op\u00e9rations militaires (@EtatMajorFR) July 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Joint air exercise<\/p>\n Specifying that the latest joint air activity \u201cdid not involve nuclear weapons,\u201d France\u2019s Ministry of the Armed Forces said<\/a> that the fighters conducted \u201cspecific maneuvers.\u201d The aircraft then proceeded to the Luftwaffe\u2019s N\u00f6rvenich air base, which hosted the Council meeting the next day, on Jul. 17.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The sole image released by the French Joint Staff shows the two Eurofighters and two Rafale Bs to the A330\u2019s starboard (right-side), with the tanker flying with both its underwing refuelling hoses extended.<\/p>\n The Rafales are carrying two MICA-IR air-to-air missiles on the wing tips, as well as four MICA-RFs on the outermost weapons stations and the fuselage\u2019s mounting points, in addition to external fuel tanks. The German Eurofighters are flying with a single IRIS-T missile and a Litening targeting pod, in addition to external fuel tanks.<\/p>\n Deutschland und Frankreich vertiefen ihre Zusammenarbeit in der Verteidigung. Wir st\u00e4rken die europ\u00e4ische Abschreckung. Noch in diesem Jahr werden wir uns an einer nuklearen \u00dcbung der franz\u00f6sischen Streitkr\u00e4fte beteiligen. pic.twitter.com\/zTtA1eoCHY<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (@bundeskanzler) July 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The French MAF said: \u201cTwo French Rafales aircraft from the Saint-Dizier airforce base and two German Eurofighter from N\u00f6rvenich airforce base joined a French MRTT Phenix for air-to-air refuelling. This activity marks the first operational step within the framework of bilateral strategic cooperation agreed upon by President Macron and Chancellor Merz in the Joint Declaration of March 2, 2026. In addition, this endeavour has also contributed to increase overall interoperability of French and German air forces (sic).\u201d<\/p>\n France, Germany lead European defense, boost ties<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n Both German Chancellor Friedrich Merz<\/a> and French President Emmanuel Macron<\/a> committed to strengthening European deterrence through deeper defense collaboration that drives European industry and enhances economic resilience. Merz then stated on X<\/a> that Germany will participate in a \u201cnuclear exercise of the French armed forces\u201d this year.<\/p>\n En Allemagne, le Conseil des ministres franco-allemand que nous co-pr\u00e9sidons aujourd\u2019hui avec le Chancelier Friedrich Merz doit nous permettre de renforcer notre comp\u00e9titivit\u00e9, notre s\u00e9curit\u00e9 et notre d\u00e9fense et la r\u00e9silience de nos d\u00e9mocraties.<\/p>\n Le r\u00e9flexe franco-allemand\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/9utgniu3Ni<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Merz welcomed Macron at N\u00f6rvenich air base near Cologne, with the two leaders emerging from a Super Puma helicopter \u2013 itself a symbol of successful French-German cooperation. They then presided over the joint defense and security council meeting held next to a French Rafale jet and a Eurofighter.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Franco-German nuclear deterrence cooperation follows France\u2019s proactive role in reinforcing NATO\u2019s eastern flank before Russia with support to Ukraine<\/a>, strengthening its nuclear deterrent<\/a> and later expanding it to cover Europe<\/a>. It has also reopened Luxeuil Air Base with an investment of \u20ac1.5 billion and commenced work on the ASN4G<\/a> hypersonic nuclear missile.<\/p>\n France is stepping up defense cooperation with its European partners. President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have agreed to increase defense cooperation, with Germany set to join a French nuclear exercise later this year. Meanwhile, Poland and France have\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/EUqTHiNtlH<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 TVP World (@TVPWorld_com) July 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The two countries are also motivated by repairing their relations following the collapse<\/a> of the sixth generation Future Combat Air System (FCAS<\/a>) project. \u201cThe aim is for the two countries to \u2018bounce back\u2019 from last month\u2019s implosion of the joint Future Combat Air System (FCAS) fighter jet project, which fell victim to bickering between Airbus and France\u2019s Dassault,\u201d France24<\/a> said while quoting Macron.<\/p>\n Franco-German Defense and Security Council<\/p>\n The release by the Elysee Palace highlighted the broader \u201cescalating hybrid threats\u201d in Europe amid a Russian threat to NATO with its \u201cillegal war of aggression against Ukraine.\u201d The statement identified six areas of bilateral security defense cooperation and consensus on flashpoints like Iran and Lebanon.<\/p>\n The Nuclear Steering Group, established on Mar. 2 through \u201cconfidential consultations,\u201d will work on \u201cconventional, Deep Precision Strike and missile defence capabilities with nuclear deterrence, in order to increase our ability to manage escalation beneath the nuclear threshold and to develop the necessary conventional capabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n Pendant que la France dort\u2026 Pour \u00eatre pr\u00eat, \u00e0 tout moment. \u2014 Arm\u00e9e de l\u2019Air et de l\u2019Espace (@Armee_de_lair) March 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The initiative will however be subservient to and not take precedence over NATO\u2019s nuclear deterrence and nuclear sharing agreements, to which Germany contributes.<\/p>\n The weapons programs include a evolving a common European standard for interoperability among fighters and drones through modular, open architecture and interfaces; financial and shareholding measures \u201cfor the success and long-term development\u201d of pan-European defense company KNDS; pushing for a proof-of-concept of the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS); leveraging French space rocket company\u2019 Arianne Group\u2019s capabilities in the main rocket boost component of the 2,500 km-range British-led Deep Precision Strike<\/a> (DPS) program; and pushing strategic space collaboration and interoperability.<\/p>\n\n
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La nuit derni\u00e8re, une quarantaine d\u2019a\u00e9ronefs ont sillonn\u00e9 le ciel fran\u00e7ais pour simuler un raid a\u00e9rien nucl\u00e9aire.
Nom de code : Poker.<\/p>\n
Pour garantir la cr\u00e9dibilit\u00e9 de la #dissuasion<\/a>. pic.twitter.com\/7ZLGxiQ4p6<\/a><\/p>\n