France’s Efforts To Strengthen Its Drone Warfare Capabilities: Focus on the 2024-2030 Military Programming Law (MPL)

Drawing lessons from Ukraine, France's 2024–2030 Military Programming Law accelerates the country's drone warfare capabilities through increased spending, technological innovation and operational training. Investments target loitering munitions, tactical drones, medium-altitude long-endurance UAVs, swarm capabilities and counter-UAS systems, while cooperation with Ukraine supports rapid adaptation. Budgetary pressure and political uncertainty nonetheless raise doubts about how sustainable the effort is.

What a Military Programming Law is

Article 34 of the 1958 French Constitution establishes programming laws that set long-term policy frameworks and define multi-year budget orientations, typically spanning four to seven years. The Loi de Programmation Militaire applies that mechanism to defence: it sets out the armed forces' main priorities, identifies strategic challenges, and allocates the resources needed to modernise the military over the period.

The 2024–2030 law seeks to reinforce France's sovereignty and strategic autonomy, and increases defence spending significantly over its predecessor. The document argues that the convergence of hybrid warfare and high-intensity conflict — illustrated by Russia's war in Ukraine — requires scaling up the Army's equipment and capabilities and improving joint operations.

It names several threats: "The international jihadist movement continues to present a significant security challenge for both Western states and fragile countries across the Muslim world, from Africa to Southeast Asia." It also cites the use of proxies by competing powers to undermine French influence, mounting pressure on French overseas territories particularly from China, and the destabilising effects of climate change on already fragile regions.

Four pillars

The first pillar consolidates traditional capabilities: nuclear deterrence, force readiness, intelligence and counter-intelligence, special operations, protection of overseas territories, and training for high-intensity operations.

The second addresses fields where competition is intensifying: equipment modernisation, robotisation of the forces, expansion and revitalisation of air defence, adaptation of the war economy and its legal framework, securing reliable ammunition supplies, and reinforcing national cohesion through the Lien Armée-Nation.

The third targets technologies essential to future conflict — space systems, deep-sea capabilities, cyber warfare and artificial intelligence. The fourth aims to expand manpower, notably by strengthening the operational reserve and improving quality of life for military personnel.

€413 billion, after the Senate moved the money forward

The National Assembly approved the bill on 7 June 2023 after two weeks of debate, around 90 hours. The Senate began its review on 27 June and introduced amendments emphasising faster military strengthening, particularly in nuclear deterrence and support for the defence industrial base through an investment fund.

While maintaining the overall envelope, the Senate redistributed and accelerated the spending schedule: the 2024 defence budget was raised from €3.1 billion to €3.5 billion, followed by €3.6 billion annually instead of €3 billion between 2024 and 2027, rising to €4.3 billion from 2027 to 2030. The war in Ukraine was cited to justify the accelerated timeline. The Senate adopted its revised version on 29 June, and a Commission mixte paritaire reconciled the two chambers on 13 July 2023. The law commits €413 billion over seven years, €118 billion more than the previous programming law.

€10 billion for innovation, €5 billion for drones

A central element is the €10 billion earmarked for innovation, intended to keep France technologically ahead in contested domains such as cyber, space, deep sea, the electromagnetic spectrum and information warfare, with priority given to the national industrial base to preserve a sovereign supply chain.

To keep pace with rapid innovation cycles, the Direction générale de l'armement will develop forecasting methods to anticipate technological disruption and deepen cooperation with private companies and start-ups. Through the Agence de l'innovation de défense, part of the budget will support solutions adapted to hybrid threats and complex operational environments.

Robotisation is one of the law's most significant challenges, and around €5 billion is dedicated to drone programmes of all types. Among the UAV priorities are reliable loitering munitions, the ability to conduct swarm operations by 2030, and stronger C-UAS capability against unmanned threats.

Year by year, and the Renault line

In 2024, €400 million was earmarked for robotic systems, with a portion for loitering munitions. The Renault group, supported by Turgis Gaillard, revamped two production sites to manufacture loitering munitions at a capacity of 600 drones per month. That same year, construction began on new infrastructure at Air Base 709 in Cognac to accommodate MALE UAVs.

In 2025, €450 million was invested in drones and Chaumont Air Base received four Patroller tactical UAVs. The close-range fleet is being modernised progressively, combining small numbers of advanced systems with larger quantities of low-cost, low-tech platforms. In 2026, €600 million was directed toward UAV programmes, accelerating acquisition of small tactical drones and low-altitude MALE systems, and development of high-altitude deployment capability.

Across 2025 and 2026, Delair, working with the European defence holding KNDS, is delivering the first batch of the Damocles tactical loitering munition. The Army has also been given a dedicated warehouse for tactical drones and maintenance. In 2027, MBDA with Aviation Design will deliver its first long-distance loitering munitions, comparable to the Russian Geran-2. Overall the law aims to fund five types of tactical drone and 28 additional UAV categories across its seven years.