France builds up military for greater influence

法国高调进行军备建设以提升影响力

Source
China Military Online
Editor
Wang Xinjuan
Time
2022-10-18 23:18:19


资料图:挂载核导弹的法国“阵风”战斗机

File photo: France’s Rafale fighter loaded with nuclear missiles

近期,法国在军备建设方面动作频频,发布多项军售订单进展情况,披露无人机、太空领域建设路线图,公布未来一段时期海外军事部署行动计划,引发外界普遍关注。

France has taken a series of moves on military buildup recently. It has announced the progress on several arms orders, revealed its roadmap for UAV and space development, and released its plan for overseas military deployments and actions for the future period. This has caught close attention in the world.

军事观察员杜文龙认为,法国近期在军事领域的所有动作都是为了满足其争做“欧洲大国”的需要。

According to military observer Du Wenlong, everything France is doing recently in the military domain is to meet its demand for becoming a major power in Europe.

杜文龙介绍,最近,法国加速调整国防政策,总统马克龙甚至宣称法国进入“战时经济”状态,要对国防生产、武器研制以及装备采购进行调整。

Du noted that France is adjusting its national defense policy at a faster rate. President Macron even declared a state of “wartime economy”, wanting to adjust national defense production, weapon development, and equipment procurement.

法国武器装备采购周期很长,高端武器采购甚至需要8到10年,不符合目前法国军队转型的要求。 法国现在正在简化武器采购流程 ,积极对武器装备进行更新换代,准备在欧洲地区承担起所谓的“重要角色”。

France’s weapon and equipment procurement has a long lead time – 8 to 10 years for high-end weapons, which doesn’t meet its urgent need for military transformation. Now the country is simplifying the procurement process and actively upgrading the weapons and equipment, getting ready to play a so-called “important role” in Europe.

法国军队目前面临比较大的转型 ,有可能会向天军、网军方面转型发展,更加注重高端和转型武器装备的发展,以应对俄乌冲突可能引发的连锁反应。

The French military is at a crossroads now. It may set up a space force or cyber force and pay more attention to the development of high-end and transitional weapons and equipment in order to cope with the possible chain reactions from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

与此同时,法国军队近期不断在海外“刷存在感”。在南太平洋,法国空军派遣机队远赴澳大利亚参加“漆黑-2022”“卡卡杜”等大型军演。在西太平洋,法国派出1架“猎鹰-2000”侦察机执行相关任务。另外,法国海军还计划派出一支舰艇编队赴亚太地区活动。

At the same time, the French military has tried hard to highlight its presence overseas. On the South Pacific, it assigned a naval fleet to Australia to participate in large military exercises such as the Exercise Pitch Black 2022 and Exercise Kakadu 2022; on the West Pacific, it dispatched a FALCON 2000 reconnaissance plane to carry out operations. The French Navy also plans to send a fleet to the Asia Pacific.

军事观察员杜文龙认为,这一系列军事部署表明,法国企图追随美国,将战略触角延伸至亚太方向,借此提升法国在这一地区的影响力。当前,在美国的指挥和怂恿下,法国正在“印太地区”强化兵力部署 ,包括法国舰艇编队与美国航母战斗群融合演练,法国战机在亚太多地进行部署和演练等。法国目前正在“向东看”,伴随所谓“北约向亚太转型”的步伐加紧军力部署。

Du Wenlong held that the series of military deployments reflect France’s intention of following America’s steps to extend its antenna to the Asia Pacific and consequently enhance its influence in the region. At America’s command and incitation, Paris is now intensifying its military deployments in the Indo-Pacific. Its fleet has had joint exercises with America’s aircraft carrier combat group, and its warplanes have deployed and exercised at several locations in the Asia Pacific. Paris is looking to the east and making military deployments there amid NATO’s so-called shift to the Asia Pacific.

尽管法国有关军备计划看起来雄心勃勃,但实际上,受制于经济和军备能力等因素,对地区安全形势造成的影响有限。

Despite seemingly ambitious military plans , France will have limited effects on the regional security situation due to its economic and military weakness and other factors.

杜文龙分析认为,法国虽然想在欧洲事务中扮演更重要的角色,但要想做成大事难度极高,因为 法国经济体量并不大,无法支撑起庞大的军费开支和海外部署。此外, 法国在部队规模、武器装备研发方面还存在着诸多短板 ,无法脱离美国独立进行各种扩张行动,包括部署海外军事行动。

According to Du, it will be very difficult for France to achieve something big no matter how much it yearns for a more important role in European affairs because its small economy is unable to sustain the huge military spending and overseas deployments. Besides, France also has many short links regarding the size of troops and the R&D of weapons and equipment, and it is unable to take expansionary actions, including military actions overseas, independent from the US.

Editor's note: Originally published on military.cnr.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.

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