France is seeking to join a joint United Kingdom-Germany program to develop long-range precision strike missiles, marking the most significant European defense collaboration since the Eurofighter project and a tangible step toward strategic autonomy from the United States.
French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed in a statement that Paris has formally requested entry into the Anglo-German Deep Fires program, which aims to develop ground-launched missiles with ranges exceeding 500 kilometers. The weapon would give European forces the ability to strike targets deep behind enemy lines without relying on US-provided systems.
"European security cannot forever depend on American willingness to supply critical capabilities," Lecornu told Le Monde. "We need sovereign strike capabilities that Europe controls and Europe produces."
To understand today's headlines, we must look at yesterday's decisions. European defense collaboration has a troubled history—grand pronouncements followed by national protectionism, interoperability failures, and cost overruns. The Eurofighter Typhoon, developed by UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain, took 20 years and cost billions more than projected. The A400M transport aircraft program was similarly plagued.
But the strategic context has fundamentally changed. Russia's war in Ukraine demonstrated that European armies lack sufficient stocks of precision weapons and are dependent on US resupply for sustained operations. Simultaneously, successive US administrations have signaled waning commitment to European security, with resources increasingly directed toward the Indo-Pacific.
The Deep Fires program would develop a missile comparable to America's Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) or the newer Precision Strike Missile—weapons that can target command posts, logistics hubs, and air defense systems beyond the range of traditional artillery. Current European forces have significant capability gaps in this domain.
Britain and Germany launched Deep Fires as a bilateral project in 2024, with initial funding of £700 million. French participation would add technical expertise in propulsion systems and guidance, plus substantial additional funding that could accelerate development timelines.
"This is potentially the most important European defense program in decades," said Bruno Tertrais, deputy director of the Foundation for Strategic Research. "If France, Germany, and the UK can actually collaborate on deep strike missiles, it changes the calculus for European defense. It means Europe could conduct high-intensity operations without US involvement."
The political complications are substantial. France and Germany have long collaborated on defense through joint procurement and industrial champions. The UK and France have deep defense cooperation dating to the Lancaster House Treaties. But France-UK-Germany trilateral collaboration is rare, complicated by Brexit, divergent strategic cultures, and industrial rivalry.
Defense contractors are particularly sensitive. France's MBDA, Germany's Diehl Defence, and Britain's BAE Systems all produce missile systems and will fight for workshare. Previous European defense programs have collapsed over disagreements about which country's companies receive which contracts.
There is also the question of whether adding France—which maintains independent nuclear forces and often pursues its own path—helps or complicates the program. UK officials have privately expressed concern that French participation could slow decision-making and introduce political complications.
However, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius expressed support for French involvement, stating that "European security requires European capabilities" and that trilateral cooperation "sends a powerful message about our commitment to strategic autonomy."
The United States has offered measured support. Pentagon officials recognize that more capable European forces would enhance NATO effectiveness and potentially reduce demands on US defense resources. However, there is concern about maintaining interoperability and ensuring European systems can integrate with US command and control networks.
The program faces significant technical and political hurdles. But if France, Germany, and the UK can overcome historical obstacles and actually deliver a jointly-developed precision strike system, it would represent a watershed moment for European defense—a tangible demonstration that strategic autonomy is more than rhetoric.
