French Rafales and German Eurofighters conduct first joint ‘forward deterrence’ training

French Rafales and German Eurofighters conduct first joint ‘forward deterrence’ training

French Rafales and German Eurofighters conduct first joint ‘forward deterrence’ training

France and Germany conducted their first joint air activity as part of their forward deterrence plan, a day before announcing a new program as part of their strengthened defense cooperation.

Two Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace (French Air Force and Space Force – FASF) Dassault Rafales and two Luftwaffe (German Air Force) Eurofighter Typhoons conducted their first “joint air action” on 16 July 2026 in support of the “Forward Deterrence” plan in Paris. During the flight, the fighter was refueled from a French A330 ‘Phenix’ MRTT.

The exercise, involving two two-seat Rafale Bs from the French Strategic Air Force (Forces Aériennes Stratégiques – FAS) and two Eurofighters from the Luftwaffe’s 31st Tactical Wing at Saint-Dizier Air Base (BA 113), took place a day before the Franco-German Defense and Security Council summit in Nörvenich, Germany.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, together with their respective cabinets, announced a series of military strategic and defense industrial cooperation on July 17. These included “Germany’s conventional participation in French nuclear exercises,” according to a separate statement from the Elysee Palace.

This is a reference to the Fokker nuclear exercise, France’s representative nuclear deterrence exercise, which was first conducted from March 16 to 17, 2026. This measure also lays the foundation for joint strategic military cooperation between the two countries based on the joint declaration made on March 2, 2026.

joint air training

France’s military ministry specified that the recent joint air activity had “nothing to do with nuclear weapons” and said the fighters had performed “certain maneuvers.” The aircraft then moved to the Luftwaffe’s Norbenich Air Base, where a board meeting was held the next day, July 17.

The only images released by the French Joint Chiefs of Staff show two Eurofighters and two Rafale Bs on the starboard (right) side of the A330, with the tanker flying with all underwing refueling hoses extended.

The Rafale is equipped with two MICA-IR air-to-air missiles on the wingtips and four MICA-RFs at the outermost weapons station and fuselage mounting points, in addition to external fuel tanks. The German Eurofighter is flying with one IRIS-T missile and a Lightning targeting pod, in addition to external fuel tanks.

The French MAF said: “Two French Rafales aircraft from Saint-Dizier Air Base and two German Eurofighters from Nörvenich Air Base have joined the French MRTT Phenix for air-to-air refueling. This activity is the first operational step within the framework of strategic cooperation between the two countries agreed by President Macron and Prime Minister Merz in their joint declaration on 2 March 2026. These efforts have also contributed to increasing the overall interoperability of France and the German Air Force. (sic).”

France, Germany strengthen ties as European defense leaders

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron have both pledged to strengthen European deterrence through deeper defense cooperation that drives European industry and strengthens economic resilience. Merz said at

Merz welcomed Macron at the Nörbenich air base near Cologne, and the two leaders emerged from a Super Puma helicopter, a symbol of successful Franco-German cooperation. They then chaired a joint defense and security council meeting held next to French Rafale jets and Eurofighters.

French-German nuclear deterrence cooperation follows France’s active role in strengthening NATO’s eastern flank before Russia, with support for Ukraine, strengthening nuclear deterrence and then extending it to Europe. It also reopened the Luxeuil air base with an investment of 1.5 billion euros and began work on the ASN4G hypersonic nuclear missile.

There is also a desire to restore relations between the two countries after the 6th generation Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project was aborted. “The goal is for both countries to ‘recover’ from the collapse of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) joint fighter project, which fell victim to a spat between Airbus and France’s Dassault last month.” France24 He said, quoting Macron:

Franco-German Defense and Security Council

The Elysee Palace’s disclosure highlighted the “growing hybrid threat” more broadly in Europe, with Russia posing a threat to NATO through its “illegal war of aggression against Ukraine”. The statement identified six areas of bilateral security cooperation and agreements on flashpoints such as Iran and Lebanon.

The Nuclear Operations Group, established through a ‘secret agreement’ on March 2, plans to study ‘conventional, precision strike, and missile defense capabilities with nuclear deterrence to increase escalation management capabilities below the nuclear threshold and develop necessary conventional capabilities.’

However, this plan is dependent on and does not override NATO’s Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Sharing Agreement, to which Germany is contributing.

The weapons program includes the development of a common European standard for interoperability between fighter aircraft and drones through modular, open architectures and interfaces. financial and shareholding measures “for the success and long-term development” of pan-European defense company KNDS; Promoting proof of concept for the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS). It will leverage the capabilities of French space rocket company Arianne Group on the key rocket boost component of the UK-led Deep Precision Strike (DPS) program with a 2,500km range. Drive strategic spatial collaboration and interoperability.

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