The Quest for Relevant Air Power

82 │ French Air Force
Courtesy FAF, Sirpa Air
Mirage 2000N. In October 1964, the FAF with its Mirage IV bombers
became the first operational pillar of the strategic nuclear forces. The airborne
nuclear strike role was later transferred to the Mirage 2000N, shown
here armed with a mock-up air-sol moyenne portée (ASMP), or medium
range air-to-ground weapon, a standoff nuclear missile.
For conventional materiel, France pursued a path towards autarchy.
Whereas the FAF was dependent on foreign aircraft immediately
after WWII, it relied almost exclusively on a national
industrial base from the 1960s onwards. Yet, emphasis on nuclear
forces rendered conventional forces secondary. 5 Moreover, staying
outside NATO’s integrated military command structure led to a
reduced level of interoperability with NATO partners.
The ensuing shortfalls in the FAF’s conventional force posture
became particularly apparent during Operation Desert Storm.
Hence, the FAF aspired to significantly improve its conventional
capabilities and to enhance interoperability with its NATO partners.
This did not imply that France would forego its particular
national status in multinational air campaigns, an issue that became
particularly apparent during Operation Allied Force in 1999.
When French decision makers didn’t consent to certain target
sets, their American counterparts viewed them as non-cooperative.
This led to the perception, particularly in the Anglo-Saxon world,
that France had effectively hindered a more effective air campaign. 6
The image of France as an obstinate ally was again reinforced in