Professionalization of the armed forces
Defense and the nation:
conscription was first introduced
at the time of the French Revolution, becoming universal and egalitarian
in 1905 when the practice of designating conscripts from a given age
group by drawing lots was finally abolished. The law then established
compulsory military service, a duty which applied equally to all young
men, and France opted for a mixed army of professional soldiers and
young conscripts. Since then, the length of military service has gradually
been reduced and the concept extended, in particular by creating new
forms of civilian national service.
The move to fully professional armed forces and suspension of conscription,
ending almost a hundred years of universal national service, necessitated
a rethink of the relations between defense and the nation. Accordingly,
the law of 28 October 1997 reforming national service introduced a "route
to citizenship" in three stages: compulsory education in the principles
and organization of defense in France as part of the school curriculum;
compulsory registration and participation of young French nationals
in a "day of introduction to defense and the French armed forces"
(JAPD - Journée d’appel de préparation à la défense) since
3 October 1998.
The "route to citizenship" demonstrates the importance France
attaches to the Republican principle of citizens’ participation in the
nation's defense. After the compulsory JAPD, young people may undertake
a period of voluntary civilian or military service, join the armed forces
or reserves, or undergo military training. Since 8 April 2000, girls
have also been taking part in the JAPDs and now take the same "route
to citizenship" as boys.
The changes in France's defense capability also required a radical
reform of the military reserves. Accordingly, the Act of 22 October
1999 restructuring the military reserve force and the defense service
brought in two types of reserve forces: the "Operational Reserve"
and "Citizens' Reserve". The Operational Reserve (100,000
men and women), fully integrated with the regular forces, can be used
to provide the operational back-up which the armed forces and national
gendarmerie [police service which is a branch of the armed forces]
need in order to perform the missions they are assigned. The Citizens’
Reserve, made up of men and women fired by the same dedication to defense
values, is helping rejuvenate the bond between the nation and its armed
forces.
Economic and social support:
The significant impact of the restructuring
measures on military personnel themselves and on the towns and regions
where units were quartered necessitated wide-scale arrangements for
economic and social support, and the conversion of redundant military
barracks to civilian use. The period between the announcement of these
measures and their implementation was used to prepare for and organize
the economic support, and plan the conversions most appropriate to the
needs of the local community.
1999 saw major restructuring, since this involved 160 defense establishments:
88 were wound up and 72 were transferred or reorganized. To help mitigate
the effects of these measures, 106.71 million euros were allocated
to boosting the economies of the relevant employment catchment areas
(70.13 million of euros in 1998 and 30.49 millions of euros in 1997),
contributing to the creation of over 3,300 jobs.
However, for the local communities concerned, the repercussions of
the closure of the military establishments in their areas are not only
economic. In many citizens' eyes, the presence of military personnel
both embodies the huge importance they attach to the nation's defense
and offers the guarantee of rapid and effective help in any emergency.
The efforts of the armed forces during the storms which ravaged France
in December 1999 confirms this concept of defense and French citizens'
high expectations of it. The success of local twinning and sponsoring
schemes in bringing French towns and the operational units of the different
services closer together shows how, even after restructuring, the armed
forces are still right at the heart of the nation.
Manpower reductions:
The professionalization of the armed forces
entails them becoming more compact (440,000 military and civilian personnel
in 2002, compared with 573,000 in 1996). This is inevitable because
of the diminishing number of conscripts, only some of whom will be replaced
by volunteers (92% of civil and military staff will be career personnel
in 2002, as against 60% in 1996). The professionalization of the armed
forces, now at its halfway point, has already had a considerable impact
on manpower. In 1999, the armed forces consisted of over 400,000 professionals
and the number of conscripts dropped below 100,000 (84,255 in 1999,
plus 7,330 volunteers). To encourage public support for these changes
and make a success of them, the Defense Ministry has put in place an
active policy of public information, recruitment, training and redeployment,
and retraining for civilian life. It has maintained an intensive social
dialogue and allocated 370 millions of euros to the social measures
necessitated by the redeployment and retraining required under the 1997-2002
Military Programme Act.
Consequences of the reform
Major strategic functions remain the same:
If the armed forces
are to effectively implement the missions assigned to them, they must
be fully capable of fulfilling the four main strategic functions: deterrence,
prevention, projection and protection.
- Deterrence remains an essential element of France’s defense
strategy, although it is being adapted to the new international strategic
environment. From now on, it is being based on two - naval and air -
components, both reduced in size and modernized. The commissioning of
the new generation of nuclear ballistic-missile submarines (SSBN - Sub-Surface
Bomber Nuclear) is proceeding. After the "Triomphant" and
the "Témeraire", already operational, will come the "Vigilant",
due to be completed in 2004, and the "Terrible", decided upon
in July 2000; these will complete the new generation of SSBNs. The air
component will be equipped with improved medium-range air-to-surface
missiles (ASMP - Medium Range Nuclear Missile);
- Prevention is today being given higher priority. Its purpose
is to forestall potential conflict situations by means of both military
and political action - the latter particularly through the effort to
combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. France
(1), for instance, is one of the first countries to have adapted
its deterrent force to the new strategic environment resulting from
the end of the cold war. With the dismantling of the nuclear test sites,
she has actively contributed to disarmament and non-proliferation negotiations
(she ratified the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty back in 1998). Moreover,
in December 1999, France completed the destruction of her stock of antipersonnel
landmines, more than three years ahead of the deadlines set by the Ottawa
Convention (1 March 2003);
- Projection remains a priority for our defense strategy. In
this context, the army is capable of deploying more than 50,000 men
outside French territory. In the course of 2000, the commissioning of
the Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier in active service and confirmation
of the purchase of the European military transport aircraft demonstrated
France’s resolve to maintain this capability;
- Protection is the vital complement to deterrence,
prevention and projection. It ensures that France can become involved
in the settlement of an international crisis without fear of reprisals
at home. The reorganization of the armed forces and gendarmerie and
the decisions on where they are stationed in France are based
on the greater operational readiness of the forces and their increased
mobility.
New geographical distribution of armed forces bases inside France:
Alongside the substantial reform of her armed forces in the framework
of the professionalization process, France is also changing the way
the country is divided up for defense purposes so as to ensure that
not only the human and material resources, but also the command structures
can rapidly be made available throughout France.
Once the current process has been finalized, France will have seven
military zones (ZMD - Zone militaire de défense) instead of the
present nine military districts (CMD - Circonscription militaire
de défense).
Thanks to this new system, established between
1 July 2000 and 1 July 2003, it will be possible to optimize the use
of military assets both for national defense and for public service
missions, with the twin aim of ensuring both civilian/military and inter-service
coordination. So, fitting in with the civilian central government organization
of the country's public service, there is now a permanent inter-service
and civilian/military interface command structure. Within each of the
seven military zones, a military zone general officer (OGZD), supported
by his staff, exercises the responsibilities of military adviser to
the zone's préfet [A préfet is a senior civil servant
who represents the State in his/her region. The regional préfet
covering the "capital" of each military zone also exercises
the responsibility of zone préfet]. This slim structure, placed
under the authority of the Armed Forces' Chief of Staff, will be responsible
locally for the forces’ contribution to protecting the local area and
population.
In each department, the departmental military delegate, military adviser
to the departmental préfet, represents the military zone general
officer.
The geographical breakdown of the different armed forces has been organized
to fit in with this new system. The gendarmerie, which assists
the préfet's office in its civil defense missions, has adapted
its structures to this new organization. The Air Force has divided metropolitan
France into two air regions (Villacoublay and Bordeaux) with effect
from 1 July 2000, and the Navy has retained its two maritime regions
(Brest and Toulon). The geographical limits of the military zones take
account of the Army’s new division of France into five regions.
The reform - international context
Africa is a priority for France’s actions abroad, which is consistent
with her role of traditional and preferential partner. The professionalization
of the armed forces is leading to a modernization of the cooperation
arrangements between France and Africa, with the twin concern to refrain
from any interference in African internal affairs and move from a role
of intervention to one of assistance, without pulling out from a continent
with which we are linked by many agreements.
In this context, the RECAMP concept (Renforcement des capacités
africaines de maintien de la paix - Strengthening African Peacekeeping
Capabilities) must be seen as an initiative for preventing and dealing
with any crises which may arise, with due regard for the full responsibility
of the African States. France's aim here is to help those wishing to
acquire and strengthen their own peacekeeping capabilities in a sub-regional
context.
Lessons of Kosovo:
The intervention in Kosovo (2) signalled
the international community’s resolve to act. For the first time since
the end of the cold war, the European countries committed significant
resources and took effective military action in a major crisis to defend
common values.
The Kosovo crisis confirmed the correctness of our major defense policy
choices and validated the strategic options (professionalization of
forces, focus on improving intelligence and emphasis on projection and
transport capabilities). The French armed forces, despite being in the
process of adapting their format and organization, were able to play
a full and effective part in the settlement of a major crisis.
France’s specific position within the Atlantic Alliance, combined with
the scale of her contribution to the air and ground phases, allowed
her to influence the conduct of operations while maintaining, at all
times, total political control over the use of her forces.
Building of Defense Europe:
This ambitious project has made
great strides since 1998. The convergence of views among European partners,
expressed in particular at the Helsinki summit on 9 and 10 December
1999, gave it a decisive boost.
European defense as decided at the Nice European Council in December
2000 is based on:
- adaptation of the institutional framework;
- constitution of autonomous, operational multinational forces;
- emergence of a common armaments policy.
The final declaration adopted in Helsinki reaffirms the European Union's
determination to develop an autonomous capacity to take decisions and,
where NATO is not engaged, to be able to conduct military operations
in response to international crises. For decision-making, a Political
and Security Committee (PSC) has been created within the Council of
the European Union, as well as a Military Committee consisting of the
chiefs of staff of the member states' armed forces. On 1 March 2000,
these structures were provisionally set up. [The Nice Summit in December
2000 adopted texts defining the definitive structures of the PSC, Military
Committee, and Military Staff.]
Secondly, the member states decided that they must be able, by 2003,
to cooperate voluntarily and constitute and sustain to corps level
(50 to 60,000 men), a force capable of conducting the full range of
Petersberg tasks (humanitarian, peacekeeping and peacemaking). This
force, to be fully deployable within 60 days, must be militarily self-sustaining,
with the necessary command, control and intelligence capabilities, logistics
and other combat support units, as well as air and naval elements. This
objective was translated into a catalogue of forces and precise capabilities,
covering all the reaction force’s missions. The Fifteen subsequently
defined the level of commitment of each member State.
Lastly, Armaments Europe is a further step towards building a European
defense identity. Armaments cooperation is one of the mainstays of a
defense policy designed to give Europe the essential technological capabilities
for its strategic autonomy. On 27 July 2000, France signed the framework
agreement for the harmonization and simplification of the rules applicable
to defense industries, which is vital to provide support for the restructuring
carried out by European firms. This Treaty implements the Letter of
Intent (LOI), signed on 6 July 1998 by six Defense Ministers (3), establishing
the framework for efforts to facilitate the forming of integrated, financially
sound, commercially powerful and technologically innovative companies
which Europe needs.
At the same time, the creation of OCCAR (4) on
12 November 1996, and ratification by its four founding members thereby
giving it its own legal identity (28 January 2001) is a concrete step
towards European cooperation on armament programs.
Similarly, the incorporation of EADS (European Aeronautic Defense and
Space Company) on 14 October 1999 creates the leading European, and
third largest world aerospace company.
Conclusion
Halfway through the professionalization process, several factors
must be taken into account in future thinking:
- evaluation of threats and potential causes of crises in a complex
international situation;
- impact on weapons systems of technological changes resulting from
the revolution in information technology, computing and information
and communication systems;
- challenges facing Defense Europe in the wake of the decisions made
in Helsinki.
To go beyond the customary planning and programming efforts and have
a strategic view of her future defense, France has radically reformed
her methods and practices for the design and manufacture of equipment
for the armed forces. The new modus operandi is based on France's determination
to ensure that decisions take account of long-term requirements and
are prepared jointly by all those concerned, working in integrated teams
for the design and manufacture of armaments equipment. In this context,
the thirty-year "Prospective Plan" (PP30) (5) structures for
each force system France's potential needs for operational and technological
capabilities over the next thirty years. This will help ensure that
our defense system is permanently tailored to developments both at home
and in the international arena.
(1) Cf. "Maîtrise des armements, désarmement
et non-prolifération: l’action de la France"; La Documentation
française, April 2000.
(2) Cf. "Les enseignements du Kosovo";
Ministère de la Défense (DICOD), "Analyse et références"
series, November 1999.
(3) France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom,
Sweden.
(4) Joint Armaments Cooperation Organization.
(5) Cf. "Plan prospectif à 30 ans: synthèse"; La
Documentation française, July 2000./.
