France’s President Emmanuel Macron approves creation of ‘space force’ to protect French satellites

Declaration follows a similar pledge by US President Donald Trump and came as military experts predict space will become a battleground in future

Reading Time:2 minutes

French President Emmanuel Macron with members of the military during a visit to an air force base in Istres, France in July 2017. Photo: EPA

Published: 3:46am, 14 Jul 2019Updated: 3:47am, 14 Jul 2019

France’s President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday he had approved the creation of a space command within the French air force to improve the country’s defence capabilities.

Addressing military personnel a day before the Bastille Day parade, Macron said the new military doctrine setting up a space command would strengthen protection of French satellites.

Macron delivering his pre-Bastille Day speech. Photo: AFP

“To give substance to this doctrine and ensure the development and reinforcement of our space capabilities, a space command will be created next September in the air force,” Macron said, adding that it would later become the Space and Air Force.

The declaration mirrors an initiative in the US championed by President Donald Trump.

French Defence Minister Florence Parly said last year she was committed to giving France strategic space autonomy in the face of growing threats from other powers amid a race in space militarisation.

That includes the renewal of the France’s CSO observation and Syracuse communication satellites, the launch of three CERES electromagnetic-monitoring satellites, and the modernisation of a spatial radar surveillance system called GRAVES.