What is the intention of the French Air Force's name change to "Air and Space Army"

　　Responding to Space Security Challenges and Demonstrating the Independent Political Tradition——

　　What is the intention of the French Air Force’s renamed "Aerospace Army"

　　A few days ago, the French Air Force changed its name to the "Air Force".

Philip Lavigny, chief of staff of the French "Air and Space Force", said that the name change means that pilots must look to higher and farther space. This new field of confrontation has great strategic significance and links with other fields. Getting closer.

　　The name change is France’s latest move after the announcement of the establishment of a space military command last year and the announcement of the main direction of a new space military strategy.

This shows that France has listed space as an important strategic area for key investment and is trying to occupy an advantageous position in the fierce space competition.

　　At present, major countries in the world are seizing opportunities for space development, cutting-edge aerospace technologies continue to make new breakthroughs, commercial aerospace development is becoming more active, and the space power structure is also accelerating its evolution towards multi-polarity.

In particular, the U.S. government pursues the concept of "America First". Its Cold War mentality and hegemonic goal of "dominating space" have made the international community increasingly fierce competition for resources such as orbital position and frequency in the space field. Space security risks are becoming an issue facing the international community A serious problem.

　　Against this background, France realizes that it must be fully prepared.

France believes that the space field is "higher and farther in position, increasingly close in cross-domain integration in applications, and affected by security". It is necessary to step up the formation of an "aerospace force" to deal with future challenges from space, and borrow This increases its future bargaining chips in the international strategic game.

French President Macron made it clear that the military threat from space is a “real national security issue” and the investment required to create a French space force is “indispensable” and that France will continue to strengthen the construction of the space field.

According to the French Military Planning Act from 2019 to 2025, the French planned space defense budget amounts to US$4.06 billion. In the future, it is expected to update the existing observation satellites and communication satellites, launch 3 electromagnetic listening satellites, and increase space surveillance radars. Level of modernization.

　　In September last year, the French Space Command was formally established, focusing on the formulation and implementation of space military policies, and space combat operations.

This time the French Air Force has been renamed the "Air and Space Force", marking a new stage in France's strengthening of its strategic position in space and military capability building.

The French “Aerospace Forces” stated in a statement that France now believes that space is an important area related to its strategic independence. It has not only established a laboratory dedicated to space military innovation, but is also preparing for the European Prepare for the first military exercise in space.

　　It is not difficult to see that this action in France also reflects its long-term political tradition of pursuing independence.

As early as the initial stage of NATO, France under Charles de Gaulle maintained considerable independence in NATO.

Although the Cold War has long ended, this tradition that reflects the pursuit of French independence has been preserved.

When the United States launched the Iraq War at the beginning of this century, France did not follow the United States.

Since the beginning of the new century, in the collective defense mechanism of NATO, the foundation of cooperation between the United States and Europe is no longer as strong as before, and the US and Europe’s policy of "profit" as its head has made the United States and Europe more centrifugal.

Although the French military is a pivotal force within NATO, France has not fully bet on NATO under the leadership of the United States. Instead, together with Germany and other European Union countries, it is working hard to promote European defense integration and strive to achieve defense independence.

When the United States arbitrarily rushed forward on the road to weaponization of space, France's sense of independence and sense of crisis determined that it would not wait for a free ride, but instead participated in the space military competition in an unwilling manner.

　　France’s active participation in the space military competition initiated by the United States conforms to France’s national interests and political traditions, but it is undoubtedly not conducive to the peace of space.

Space is related to national security, and its important strategic value has become increasingly prominent.

The game of major countries around the autonomy of space strategy will not stop, and the fragile state of peace in space is being broken. The international community should attach great importance to this.

　　(Author's unit: Space Security Research Center, University of Aerospace Engineering)

Feng Songjiang He Xiaopeng