French military muscle flex: Strategic exercises in Sweden

According to the portal SVT, on Tuesday, Rafale aircraft arrived directly from France to participate in the "Pegase Grand Nord" exercises. Notably, at least part of the six Rafale aircraft, accompanied by an A330 MRTT flying tanker and two A400M aircraft, belonged to the 4e Escadre de Chasse squadron from the Saint-Dizier base under the French Strategic Forces. This is a unit trained to conduct nuclear strikes.

Subsequently, the aircraft landed at Kallax Airport in Luleå, and all are to be equipped with gear for transporting ASMP-A cruise missiles. At the same time, the newly appointed French ambassador to Sweden, Thierry Carlier, noted in an interview that "our French vital interests also encompass the interests of our allies. In this perspective, the nuclear umbrella also applies to our allies, and of course Sweden is among them."

By the end of 2024, France will have had approximately 140 Rafale aircraft, with the two-seater B versions in the minority. Initially planned as a training aircraft, experiences gained from participation in the First Gulf War demonstrated the advantages of a two-person crew during reconnaissance and strike missions.

In such conditions, a dedicated crew member responsible for functions such as weapons operation or supervision of electronic warfare or reconnaissance systems proved essential. A similar scenario likely applies in the case of nuclear strikes, where the pilot is tasked with reaching a specific region, while the weapons officer handles the rest and communicates with command.

The Rafale can fly at an altitude of a few dozen feet above the ground at supersonic speed, which, due to ground-based radar limitations caused by the radar horizon, makes it very difficult to detect if the opponent does not possess AWACS-type aircraft. This tactic is successfully used by Ukrainians bombing Russians with conventional AASM Hammer bombs.

The ASMP/A missiles, introduced into service in 2009, are an evolution of the ASMP (Air-Sol Moyenne Portée) missiles used since 1986. The new version is characterised by an increased range of about 500 kilometres, compared to its predecessor, which had a range of up to 300 kilometres.

These missiles, weighing about 860 kilograms and measuring approximately 5.4 metres in length, are equipped with a ramjet engine similar to that of the MBDA Meteor missiles. Unlike traditional solid-fuel rocket engines, this type of propulsion takes oxygen from the air, not from the rocket fuel structure. This leaves more room for the combustible substance, significantly increasing the range.

However, to activate the ramjet engine, the missile must reach a speed of Mach 2 (about 2,450 kilometres per hour), which is provided by a conventional rocket engine that is discarded after a few seconds. Subsequently, the ASMP-A reaches a speed of Mach 3 (about 3,700 kilometres per hour), making its interception by enemy air defence systems highly challenging.

This presents a much more difficult target than a conventional cruise missile travelling at a speed of Mach 0.9 (about 1,100 kilometres per hour) or less. The French missile carries a TN 81 thermonuclear warhead with a yield of up to 300 kilotons.

Moreover, the French are testing another version of the missile, designated ASMP-R, which will be employed until the work on the ASN4G (4th generation nuclear air-to-ground) missile is completed. This new missile is expected to achieve hypersonic speeds (Mach 6-8, which equates to 7,350-9,800 kilometres per hour) and a range of 1,000 kilometres.

Currently, Americans have nothing similar, as the tactical air-dropped B61-12 bombs deployed in Europe under the Nuclear Sharing programme need to be dropped over the target, and AGM-86 ALCM cruise missiles are slower and require engagement by B-52H strategic bombers.