Maîtriser la puissance de feu. Un défi pour les forces terrestres
Over the last few decades, in order to limit the risk of collateral damage, tailoring the effects of firepower has become a main concern for Western armed forces.
The complexity of the task, however, can greatly vary according to the environment. Land forces have to use direct and indirect firepower in a complex terrain, for a diversity of missions, using a range of different systems, to achieve lethal and non-lethal effects. This thus raises the question of how land forces, and especially the French Army, confront this requirement. This study assesses land forces’ capabilities and needs in terms of tailoring the effects of firepower, according to the type of operation or to the environment they work in, and analyzes the risks and opportunities of a greater reliance on precision-guided fires.
This content is available in French: Maîtriser la puissance du feu. Un défi pour les forces terrestres
Related centers and programs
Discover our other research centers and programsFind out more
Discover all our analysesMultiple Launch Rocket Systems Europe’s Long-standing and Enduring Dependence?
The war in Ukraine has underlined the importance of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) in modern conflict, especially a war without clear air superiority and hence a reduced potential for air-launched deep strike. In 2022, the European MLRS fleet was split between a variety of Western platforms developed at the end of the Cold War and specialized in precision strikes.
Autonomous Systems in the Underwater Domain: A Limitless Revolution?
One of the decisive strategic factors in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war is the mass use of aerial, maritime, and terrestrial autonomous capabilities, which are transforming the face of the battlefield. Nevertheless, many of these drones are still remotely piloted, operated, or supervised, testifying to the fact that the autonomization of military capabilities is still at an embryonic stage.
France has a new nuclear doctrine of ‘forward deterrence’ for Europe. What does it mean?
On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a speech on France’s nuclear deterrence at the Île Longue naval base near Brest in Brittany, which hosts the country’s nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines. Such addresses are a well-established presidential ritual, typically delivered once per presidential term and receiving moderate attention. This one, however, was highly anticipated in France and abroad, given the profound geopolitical shifts since Macron’s first nuclear speech in February 2020.
Bundeswehr: From Zeitenwende (historic turning point) to Epochenbruch (epochal shift)
The Zeitenwende (historic turning point) announced by Olaf Scholz on February 27, 2022, is shifting into high gear. Financially supported by the March 2025 reform of Germany’s “debt break” and backed by a broad political and societal consensus to strengthen and modernize the Bundeswehr, Germany's military capabilities are set to rapidly increase over the coming years. Expected to assume a central role in the defense of the European continent in the context of changing transatlantic relations, Berlin’s military-political position on the continent is being radically transformed.