French Defense mission MPs approve EUR47.2 Bn budget for 2024 Finance Bill.

The French Ministry of Defense on October 4 posted a tweet in which it informed that, with a budget of €47.2 billion, the 2024 Armed Forces Finance Bill embodies the first step of the LPM 2024-2030 (Military Programming Law 2024-203). 2024 will be the first year of implementation of the 2024-2030 military programming law (LPM).
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In 2024, the French Army will receive 138 additional Griffon armored vehicles (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Presented by the French Minister of Defense, Sébastien Lecornu, to the Members of Parliament in charge of the Defense mission, this effort by the Nation for its defense responds to the challenges of guaranteeing tomorrow. Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the Armed Forces, said: “[Capacity investment, maintenance, operational preparation, support, innovation, Family plan, etc.] The budget for the year 2024 responds to all these challenges at the same time to guarantee that our armies do not miss the first steps of military programming which will be strategic and even irreversible to guarantee the success of France's weapons tomorrow".

The purchase of equipment represents the bulk of this budget (59%), ahead of the payroll (29%), operations (10%) and the financing of external operations and internal missions (2%). Regarding equipment, the year 2024 also promises to be very significant for the three forces. The French Navy will receive a defense and intervention frigate as well as a nuclear attack submarine; the Air Force will acquire 13 Rafale fighter jets, two A400M transport planes, and a spy satellite. Lastly, the Army will receive 138 additional Griffon armored vehicles, 103 Serval armored vehicles, and 8,000 HK416 assault rifles.

Increasing the budget will facilitate the modernization of nuclear deterrence, receiving an additional 750 million compared to 2023. A similar financial effort will also boost soldiers' training hours through improved equipment maintenance. This issue sparked criticism during discussions about the Multi-Year Military Programming Law (LPM). In 2022, the Defense Committee highlighted examples such as Leclerc tank regiments, which are operating at only 50% of their potential due to either a shortage of available ammunition or vehicle availability, as well as the Rafale pilots whose training flight hours are nearly cut in half compared to NATO standards.

The funding for support to Ukraine is not included in the project, as specified in Article 7 of the LPM. However, the conflict has consequences for the budget. Nearly 1.5 billion euros are allocated to replenish the stock of munitions (medium-range missiles, Air-Air MICA air defense missiles, etc.), some of which have been provided to Ukrainian forces.

This effort by the Nation for its defense aims to:
• consolidate the operational superiority of the French armies and ensure the coherence of the army model: 9.1 billion payment credits for programs with major effects (excluding deterrence), 5.7 billion euros dedicated to maintenance programmed materials…
• respond to emerging challenges, particularly in new areas: 1.2 billion for innovation, 600 million euros for space, 500 million euros for intelligence, 300 million euros for cyber, etc.
• strengthen resilience and moral strengths: 195 million euros and 180,000 additional days of activity for the reserve personnel…

The increase in the Nation's effort for its defense will result, with the 2024 Army Finance Bill, in an increase of +3.3 billion euros, bringing the Defense mission to 47.2 billion euros excluding pensions. In total, the budget of the French armed forces will have increased by +46% between 2017 and 2024.

(Picture source: Twitter account of the French MoD)

Defense News October 2023