France to Boost Drone Stockpiles by 400% and Missiles by One-Third by 2030

France plans to increase its stockpile of kamikaze drones by 400% and its air defense and aviation missiles by 30% by 2030.

POLITICO reported on this after reviewing a draft of France’s military planning law.

The government is set to present the plan on April 8. Among other measures, it includes allocating €8.5 billion for the procurement of unmanned systems and missile systems.

The draft document outlines France’s strategic goals for developing its military arsenals through 2030.

According to the plan, stockpiles of kamikaze drones are to increase by 400%, while stocks of AASM Hammer guided bombs are set to grow by 240%.

Meanwhile, the number of air defense and air-to-air missiles, including Aster and Mica, is planned to increase by 30%.

France’s total defense spending will gradually rise and is expected to reach €76.3 billion by 2030.

The main efforts will focus on preparing the defense-industrial complex to ramp up weapons production by modernizing production lines and increasing government orders.

MBDA already plans to increase its overall production output by 40% this year. In particular, the production rate of Aster family air defense missiles is expected to double.

Meanwhile, as noted in the report, the strategic document does not include increasing the number of French armed forces personnel or additional purchases of Rafale fighter jets and frigates. The main emphasis is shifted toward mass production of strike capabilities and reducing delivery times to the military.

France is also revising its approach to air defense and is considering cheaper ways to shoot down drones after analyzing the experience of Ukraine and Iran’s attacks on countries in the Middle East.

The country is already working on projects for the mass production and use of interceptor drones as an alternative to expensive air defense and air-to-air missiles. Cheaper options also include using helicopters to intercept drones and equipping Rafale fighter jets with laser-guided missiles.