The Quest for Relevant Air Power

120 │ French Air Force
Warden’s book The Air Campaign and wrote the preface to it. The
French translation appeared in 1998. 234 His personal writing has
also been profoundly influenced by Warden’s concepts. 235
This overemphasis upon Warden’s theories was also remarked
upon in the recent French study on air power doctrine. 236 In fact,
the reemerging French air power debate seemed to favour theories
on the distinct use of air power, hence the still keen interest in
Douhet’s theories. As was noted, one of the very first Ateliers du
CESA was devoted to him, and the translation of The Command of
the Air is amongst the projects of the armed forces’ historical service.
French air power thinking thus reiterated an interwar preoccupation
by underlining the issue of an independent mission. As
evidenced by the CESA’s air power conferences, the focus has
turned to more topical aerospace power issues.
Research in the field of air power history and theory has also
been encouraged by the highest authorities. The defence minister
introduced in 2004 the Prix de l’Armée de l’Air (prize of the FAF).
It honours outstanding achievements of doctoral theses or master’s
dissertations or the equivalent. 237 The prize represents a tightening
link between the military and academia.
How Have French Defence Planners Attempted
to Maintain a Relevant Air Force in Light of
Escalating Costs and Advanced Technologies?
Right after WWII, French decision makers aspired to reestablish
a potent indigenous aircraft industry. The emerging postwar
FAF soon contained three components—a NATO component furnished
with modern American materiel, a national component
gradually being equipped by the national postwar aircraft industry,
and an overseas component in Indochina that basically consisted
of second-rate American materiel. From the 1960s onwards,
however, the FAF has been primarily equipped with indigenous
materiel. At the same time, it started to support the French industry
in its thrust towards increased exports by providing training
for foreign pilots. 238 Sales abroad were crucial to reduce the unit
costs for the FAF’s own equipment. 239 Yet, the primacy of nuclear
doctrine and deterrence rendered French conventional forces sec-