On June 17, 2025, the French Navy marked a pivotal moment in its modernization trajectory by successfully launching a loitering munition from the Floréal-class frigate Floréal, a vessel originally designed for low-intensity patrol and surveillance missions in France’s expansive overseas Exclusive Economic Zones. This test, conducted in collaboration with the French aerospace firm FLY-R, demonstrated the operational viability of ship-launched unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in maritime combat scenarios. The drone, likely the R2-120 Raijin, executed a series of complex maneuvers around a simulated moving target, controlled remotely by the frigate’s crew, showcasing a capability that could redefine naval warfare tactics. This event, reported by Naval News on July 4, 2025, and corroborated by multiple international outlets, underscores France’s strategic pivot toward integrating advanced unmanned systems into its naval operations, a move driven by the evolving nature of global security threats and the lessons drawn from contemporary conflicts, notably in Ukraine.
The R2-120 Raijin, developed by FLY-R in partnership with MBDA, exemplifies the technological innovation underpinning this shift. Housed in a compact shipping container for ease of deployment, the Raijin is a loitering munition designed for precision strikes, with a rhomboid wing configuration that enhances maneuverability and stability. According to Army Recognition’s coverage on November 8, 2024, the Raijin weighs 5 kilograms at maximum takeoff weight, carries a 1.5-kilogram payload, and can operate at speeds ranging from 95 to 270 kilometers per hour, with a range of 50 kilometers and an endurance of 45 minutes. Its ability to perform rapid, autonomous strikes at altitudes up to 3,000 meters makes it a versatile tool for harassing enemy defenses, a tactic explicitly articulated by Admiral Nicholas Vaudjour, the French Navy’s Chief of Staff in 2023. Vaudjour’s statement, as cited in Pravda’s July 6, 2025, report, emphasized the strategic intent to “harass the enemy, tire him out, and then use our weapons at the most opportune moment to win.” This approach mirrors tactics observed in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where Russian forces have employed low-cost Geranium loitering munitions to exhaust Ukrainian air defenses before deploying cruise missiles, as noted by the French publication Zone Militaire.
The French Ministry of Defense’s broader strategy to integrate unmanned systems into its arsenal is a response to both technological advancements and geopolitical imperatives. In June 2025, the Directorate-General for Armaments (DGA) signed agreements with five leading French drone manufacturers—Aura Aero, Daher, Fly-R, SE Aviation, and Turgis Gaillard—to develop medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) drone demonstrators, with first flights targeted for 2026. These agreements, announced at the Paris Air Show and reported by Defense News on June 20, 2025, aim to produce drones comparable to the MQ-9 Reaper, Bayraktar TB2, and Russia’s Inokhodets, addressing a critical capability gap exposed by delays in the multinational Eurodrone program. The Eurodr personally, I think the Eurodrone program’s delays, with a budget ballooning to €7.1 billion and a delivery timeline now pushed to 2031, reflect the challenges of multinational defense projects, where differing priorities and bureaucratic inertia often undermine efficiency. France’s decision to pivot toward national solutions, with an initial €10 million investment split among the five companies, signals a pragmatic approach to ensuring timely access to advanced UAVs while fostering domestic innovation.
The strategic rationale for this investment is rooted in the transformative impact of unmanned systems in modern warfare. The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has been extensively documented by think tanks like the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), has showcased the disruptive potential of low-cost drones. Loitering munitions, often dubbed “kamikaze drones,” offer a cost-effective means of engaging high-value targets, such as radar installations or armored vehicles, without exposing manned assets to risk. The R2-120 Raijin’s design, with its high-performance day/night camera and customizable pyrotechnic charge, allows it to adapt to a range of targets, from light vehicles to fortified positions. Its compact launch system, requiring minimal deck space, makes it particularly suited for deployment from Floréal-class frigates, which, despite being commissioned in the early 1990s, have proven surprisingly adaptable as testbeds for emerging technologies. Built by Naval Group (then DCNS), these 2,600-ton warships were designed for endurance and flexibility, with aviation facilities that include a helicopter deck and hangar, enabling seamless integration of drone operations.
The Floréal test is part of a broader effort by the French Navy to operationalize unmanned systems across its fleet. In 2019, Admiral Christophe Prazuck, then Chief of Staff, outlined an ambitious goal to deploy 1,200 unmanned systems by 2030, including 900 UAVs, 50 unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), and 200 unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), as reported by Naval News. This vision reflects the Navy’s recognition that drones can enhance situational awareness, reduce operational costs, and mitigate risks in contested environments. The successful launch of the Raijin from Floréal demonstrates not only technical feasibility but also the Navy’s commitment to translating experimental capabilities into operational realities. The test involved a full operational cycle—takeoff, remote control, target tracking, and recovery—conducted under real-world conditions, as detailed in The Asia Live’s July 6, 2025, report. This milestone builds on earlier experiments, such as the 2023 trials of the VSR700 rotary-wing UAV from a FREMM-class frigate, which demonstrated autonomous takeoff and landing capabilities for intelligence, surveillance, targeting, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions.
The integration of loitering munitions like the Raijin also addresses specific threats observed in recent conflicts. The Houthi campaign in the Red Sea, documented by BulgarianMilitary.com on April 18, 2025, has underscored the growing challenge of asymmetric drone warfare. Houthi forces, leveraging Iranian-supplied drones like the Samad and Shihab, have targeted commercial and naval vessels with low-observable, sea-skimming UAVs, challenging traditional defense systems. French frigates, such as the Aquitaine-class vessels deployed under Operation Aspides, have countered these threats using 76mm OTO Melara guns, which offer a cost-effective alternative to surface-to-air missiles costing $1-2 million per round. However, the Raijin’s ability to proactively engage enemy assets at extended ranges provides a complementary capability, reducing the need for reactive defense measures. This proactive approach aligns with the Navy’s broader experimentation with unmanned systems, including first-person
Strategic Evolution of French Naval Drone Warfare: Advanced Loitering Munitions, MALE UAV Development and Geopolitical Implications in Maritime Conflict, 2025
The French Navy’s strategic adoption of unmanned aerial systems, particularly loitering munitions and medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) drones, represents a transformative shift in maritime warfare, driven by the imperatives of modern conflict dynamics and the need for operational agility. This evolution, distinct from earlier naval modernization efforts, focuses on integrating advanced unmanned platforms to counter asymmetric threats, enhance force projection, and maintain strategic autonomy in a rapidly changing global security landscape. The successful test of a loitering munition from the Floréal-class frigate in June 2025, as reported by Naval News, marks a critical milestone, but the broader trajectory involves a comprehensive restructuring of naval tactics, industrial partnerships, and geopolitical positioning.
The French Navy’s operational framework for unmanned systems is shaped by the recognition that modern maritime warfare increasingly involves non-state actors and hybrid threats, necessitating flexible and cost-effective solutions. The 2024-2030 Military Programming Law, published by the French Ministry of Defense on May 4, 2023, allocates €5 billion for unmanned systems across all services, with €1.2 billion specifically dedicated to naval applications by 2030. This investment targets the development of 700 naval drones, including 500 UAVs, 100 unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), and 100 unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), as detailed in a March 2025 report by the French Senate’s Defense Committee. Unlike traditional naval assets, which prioritize high-end platforms like aircraft carriers and destroyers, these unmanned systems are designed to operate in contested environments, providing persistent surveillance, precision strikes, and electronic warfare capabilities without exposing personnel to risk. The Navy’s experimentation with the Veloce 330, a medium-range loitering munition developed by EOS Technologie, exemplifies this approach. Capable of reaching speeds of 400 kilometers per hour and covering 50 kilometers in 16 minutes, the Veloce 330 integrates a core-generating charge to counter active defenses, as reported by Interesting Engineering on May 4, 2024.
The tactical evolution of loitering munitions in naval warfare is informed by lessons from global conflicts, particularly the use of drones in the Black Sea during the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukrainian forces have demonstrated the efficacy of maritime drones, such as the MAGURA V5, which sank the Russian corvette Ivanovets in February 2024, as documented by the Australian Army Research Centre on October 22, 2024. The MAGURA V5, with a 450-kilometer range and 60-kilogram warhead, has disrupted Russian naval operations, forcing a reevaluation of fleet positioning in the Black Sea. France’s naval drone strategy adopts a similar logic, prioritizing attritable systems that can overwhelm adversary defenses through sheer volume and persistence. The Colibri loitering munition, developed by KNDS France and Delair, is a case in point. Designed for short-range missions with a 5-kilometer radius and a cost of €20,000 per unit, the Colibri has been tested for NATO interoperability and is equipped with a video tracking system for precision targeting, according to Army Recognition on October 16, 2024. Its deployment in Ukraine, with 100 units delivered by January 2025, underscores France’s commitment to supporting allies while refining its own capabilities.
The French Navy’s operational concept for loitering munitions emphasizes layered defense and offensive flexibility. During the Dragoon Fury exercise in March 2025, conducted in the Bay of Hyères, the amphibious helicopter carrier Tonnerre served as a drone platform, deploying UAVs for surveillance, assault, and counter-drone operations, as reported by Defense News on May 27, 2025. This exercise involved 10 defense companies, including Alseamar, which provided the Seaexplorer underwater glider with a 1,700-kilometer range and 110-day endurance. The gliders detected Italian vessels during the Polaris 24 exercise, enabling long-range strikes by carrier aircraft, demonstrating the potential of integrated unmanned systems to extend situational awareness and strike capabilities. The Navy’s use of first-person view (FPV) drones, capable of neutralizing hostile USVs, further illustrates the shift toward low-cost, high-impact solutions. These FPV drones, costing approximately €2,000 per unit, can carry 1-kilogram payloads and operate within a 10-kilometer radius, as noted in a June 2025 report by EOS Technologie.
Technologically, France’s naval drone program prioritizes modularity and resilience against electronic warfare, a critical factor given the proliferation of jamming technologies. The R2-600 MALE drone, developed by Fly-R under the leadership of former DGA chief Laurent Collet-Billon, incorporates a rhomboid wing architecture that reduces radar cross-section and enhances aerodynamic efficiency. With a 1,200-kilometer range and 30-hour endurance, the R2-600 is designed for maritime patrol and electronic warfare, carrying modular payloads such as synthetic aperture radar and SIGINT modules, as detailed in Army Recognition on June 19, 2025. The drone’s certification path, aligned with NATO’s STANAG standards, ensures interoperability with allied forces, a priority given France’s role in multinational operations like Operation Aspides in the Red Sea. The operation, launched by the European Union on February 19, 2024, has seen French frigates like Alsace intercept 12 Houthi drones between March and June 2024, using a combination of 76mm guns and Aster 15 missiles, according to the French Ministry of Defense.
The industrial strategy underpinning France’s naval drone program leverages partnerships with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to accelerate innovation and reduce costs. The DGA’s June 2025 contracts with Aura Aero, Daher, SE Aviation, Turgis Gaillard, and Fly-R, valued at €12 million, aim to produce MALE drone demonstrators by 2027, as reported by Le Monde on June 21, 2025. Aura Aero’s ENBATA, with a 2-ton maximum takeoff weight and 55-hour endurance, integrates a hybrid-electric propulsion system, reducing fuel consumption by 30% compared to traditional MALE drones, according to a Safran press release from June 2025. SE Aviation’s DRIADE, optimized for littoral surveillance, features a 150-kilometer detection range and can operate from naval platforms, enhancing France’s ability to monitor its 11-million-square-kilometer Exclusive Economic Zone. These developments are supported by a €500 million allocation in the 2024 defense budget for drone R&D, with an additional €300 million planned for 2026, as outlined in the French Senate’s budget report.
Geopolitically, France’s investment in naval drones strengthens its position within NATO and the European Union while countering the influence of rival powers. The rapid proliferation of drone technology, driven by non-state actors and state-sponsored groups, has reshaped maritime security. The Houthi rebels’ use of Iranian-supplied Samad drones, with a 1,800-kilometer range, has disrupted 10% of global oil trade through the Red Sea, costing an estimated $1.2 billion in rerouting expenses in 2024, according to Lloyd’s List. France’s development of counter-drone systems, such as the Rapidfire Land system by Thales and KNDS, capable of engaging 140 targets with 40mm telescoped ammunition, addresses this threat, with 14 units ordered for naval deployment by July 2025, as reported by Interesting Engineering on June 26, 2025. This system’s semi-mobile configuration, deployable on 20-foot platforms, enhances operational flexibility in forward-operating bases.
The economic implications of France’s drone strategy are significant, particularly in fostering industrial resilience. The French aerospace sector, contributing €58 billion to GDP in 2024, employs 210,000 workers, according to the French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS). The DGA’s collaboration with the automotive industry, leveraging mass-production techniques, aims to reduce drone costs by 40%, as noted in a February 2025 L’Opinion report. For instance, the Colibri’s production line, established in Mérignac, can produce 200 units annually at a unit cost of €18,000, compared to €430,000 for an IRIS-T missile, highlighting the economic advantage of attritable systems. This approach draws on historical precedents, such as Michelin’s aircraft production during World War I, and aligns with the broader goal of re-industrialization, with 1,500 jobs created in the Loire Valley through Turgis Gaillard’s Aarok program, as reported by Second Line of Defense on March 2, 2025.
The environmental footprint of naval drones, while less pronounced than that of manned platforms, warrants scrutiny. The production of lithium-ion batteries for drones like the ENBATA requires 74 kilograms of lithium per unit, contributing to a global demand projected to reach 2.4 million tons by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency’s 2024 Critical Minerals Outlook. France’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing, outlined in the 2024-2030 Military Programming Law, includes a €50 million fund for recycling battery components, reducing environmental impact by 15% compared to traditional methods. However, scaling production to meet the Navy’s 2030 target of 700 drones will strain supply chains, particularly for cobalt, with 60% of global supply sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo, as reported by the OECD in 2025.
The ethical dimensions of naval drone warfare are complex, particularly regarding autonomy and accountability. The French Ministry of Defense’s insistence on human-in-the-loop systems, as articulated by Minister Sébastien Lecornu in a June 2025 BFMTV interview, ensures that targeting decisions remain under human control, mitigating risks associated with fully autonomous systems. However, the integration of AI for data analysis, as tested during Dragoon Fury, raises questions about bias and reliability. A 2024 RAND Corporation study on AI in military applications notes that current algorithms misidentify targets in 12% of cases under contested conditions, necessitating robust validation protocols. France’s adherence to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, reaffirmed in a March 2025 Ministry of Defense directive, underscores its commitment to ethical drone use, though public debate on civilian oversight remains limited.
The strategic implications of France’s naval drone program extend to its role in shaping global norms. The proliferation of loitering munitions, with 30 countries deploying such systems by 2025, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, has lowered the cost of precision strikes, democratizing access to advanced capabilities. France’s leadership in developing ITAR-free drones, such as the Aarok, positions it to capture a share of the $45 billion global UAV market by 2030, as forecasted by IISS. Export contracts with the United Arab Emirates, valued at €200 million for 50 ENBATA units, demonstrate this potential, as reported by OpexNews on June 5, 2025. However, competition from Turkey, China, and Iran, which supply 70% of low-cost drones to non-NATO states, challenges France’s market ambitions, according to a 2025 CSIS report.
The French Navy’s drone strategy also enhances its deterrence posture. The ability to deploy swarms of low-cost UAVs, such as the Colibri, alongside high-end platforms like the Charles de Gaulle carrier, creates a hybrid capability that complicates adversary planning. During the 2024 Polaris exercise, French drones disrupted Italian naval maneuvers by providing real-time targeting data, reducing response times by 40%, as noted by Admiral Vaujour in a May 2025 parliamentary hearing. This capability, combined with the Navy’s investment in counter-drone technologies, such as the Rapidfire’s 40mm cannon, positions France to counter threats from peer competitors like China, which deployed 1,200 naval drones in the South China Sea in 2024, according to a Brookings Institution report.
In conclusion, France’s naval drone program represents a strategic recalibration, driven by the imperatives of cost, scalability, and operational flexibility. By integrating loitering munitions, MALE drones, and counter-drone systems, the Navy is redefining maritime warfare, drawing on lessons from global conflicts and domestic innovation. The quantitative and qualitative advancements, supported by verified metrics and authoritative sources, underscore France’s ambition to lead in the unmanned era, balancing technological prowess with ethical and economic considerations. As the global security landscape evolves, France’s investments will shape not only its own capabilities but also the broader trajectory of naval warfare.
Navigating ITAR-Free and NDAA-Compliant Naval Drone Systems: Strategic Implications for France’s Maritime Autonomy and Global Defense Markets, 2025
The French Navy’s pursuit of advanced unmanned systems, particularly in the realm of maritime warfare, necessitates a nuanced understanding of international regulatory frameworks such as the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). These U.S.-centric regulations impose stringent controls on the export, use, and integration of defense technologies, shaping the global defense market and influencing France’s strategic calculus in developing ITAR-free and NDAA-compliant naval drone systems. This analysis explores the operational, economic, and geopolitical ramifications of France’s efforts to design and deploy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related systems that circumvent U.S. export restrictions, focusing on quantitative metrics, verified data, and the broader implications for maritime autonomy and international defense collaboration. By leveraging domestic and European industrial capabilities, France aims to enhance its strategic sovereignty, reduce dependency on U.S.-controlled technologies, and position itself as a leader in the global market for unrestricted defense platforms.
The ITAR, administered by the U.S. Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) under the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. § 2778), regulates the export of defense articles, services, and technical data listed on the United States Munitions List (USML), as detailed in 22 CFR §§ 120-130. In 2024, the DDTC processed 22,500 export licenses, a 10% increase from 2023, reflecting the growing demand for U.S. defense technologies, according to the U.S. State Department’s 2024 Annual Report on Defense Trade Controls. However, ITAR’s restrictive nature—prohibiting the sharing of USML items with non-U.S. persons without explicit authorization—poses significant challenges for allied nations like France. For instance, 60% of ITAR-related violations in 2024 involved unauthorized data transfers to dual nationals from countries such as China and Russia, incurring penalties totaling $250 million, as reported by the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs on January 15, 2025. The NDAA, particularly the 2024 iteration (Public Law 118-31), further complicates international collaboration by prohibiting the use of certain foreign-made hardware, notably from Chinese manufacturers like Huawei and DJI, in U.S. government contracts. Section 889 of the NDAA, effective since August 2020, has banned 15 Chinese firms, impacting 30% of global drone component supply chains, according to a 2024 OECD report on critical technology dependencies.
France’s response to these constraints is a deliberate shift toward ITAR-free and NDAA-compliant systems, exemplified by its naval drone programs. The French Ministry of Defense, through its 2024-2030 Military Programming Law, has allocated €600 million for the development of domestically produced UAVs, with €150 million earmarked for ITAR-free platforms by 2027, as detailed in a January 2025 report by the French Senate’s Defense Committee. This investment supports companies like Naval Group, which is developing the Oceanix USV, a 12-meter unmanned surface vessel with a 1,500-kilometer range and a 2-ton payload capacity, designed for anti-submarine warfare and mine countermeasures. Certified as ITAR-free on March 10, 2025, by the DGA, the Oceanix uses European-sourced electronics, including Thales’ sonar systems, avoiding U.S.-controlled components, as reported by Naval Technology on April 5, 2025. This approach reduces the risk of export denials, which affected 12% of U.S.-allied defense contracts in 2024 due to ITAR restrictions, according to a RAND Corporation study published in February 2025.
The economic rationale for ITAR-free systems is compelling. By developing platforms free of U.S. export controls, France avoids the compliance costs associated with ITAR, which averaged $1.2 million per company in 2024 for U.S.-based defense firms, as per a Deloitte analysis. The French aerospace sector, contributing €60 billion to GDP in 2024 and employing 215,000 workers, according to the French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS), stands to benefit from streamlined export processes. For instance, the export of ITAR-free drones like Nexter’s Nerva-S, a 4.5-kilogram micro-drone with a 1-kilometer range and 20-minute endurance, has secured contracts worth €80 million with Saudi Arabia and India in 2025, as reported by Defense News on June 10, 2025. These contracts bypass the need for DDTC authorization, which can delay exports by 45-60 days, according to a 2024 U.S. Government Accountability Office report. Additionally, NDAA compliance ensures that French systems, such as Safran’s Patroller UAV, which uses European-made sensors and avoids Chinese components, can be integrated into U.S.-aligned defense networks without triggering NDAA bans, enhancing interoperability with NATO allies.
Operationally, ITAR-free and NDAA-compliant systems offer France greater flexibility in maritime operations. The French Navy’s 2025 Triton exercise, conducted off Toulon from April 15-20, tested the integration of the Airbus VSR700 rotary-wing UAV, which has a 100-kilometer range and a 250-kilogram payload capacity, as reported by Air & Cosmos on May 1, 2025. Designed with ITAR-free components, including a Thales radar and Safran engine, the VSR700 can be deployed in multinational operations without requiring U.S. export licenses, reducing operational delays by 30% compared to ITAR-controlled platforms, according to a French Navy assessment. The VSR700’s ability to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions in contested environments, such as the Strait of Hormuz, where 20% of global oil transits, enhances France’s strategic reach. The absence of Chinese components ensures compliance with NDAA restrictions, which have disrupted 25% of global UAV supply chains since 2020, as noted in a 2025 International Institute for Strategic Studies report.
Geopolitically, France’s focus on ITAR-free systems strengthens its position in the global defense market, projected to reach $50 billion for UAVs by 2030, according to a 2025 Frost & Sullivan market analysis. By offering platforms unencumbered by U.S. regulations, France appeals to non-NATO nations wary of ITAR’s restrictive framework. For example, the UAE’s $150 million contract for 40 Patroller UAVs in March 2025, as reported by Jane’s Defence Weekly, reflects the appeal of ITAR-free systems in regions seeking to diversify defense suppliers. This strategy also mitigates risks associated with U.S. foreign policy shifts, which led to a 15% reduction in approved ITAR licenses for Middle Eastern countries in 2024, according to the U.S. State Department. Furthermore, France’s collaboration with European partners, such as Germany’s Rheinmetall, on the H160M-based UAV, which incorporates 100% European electronics, supports the EU’s strategic autonomy agenda, as outlined in the European Defence Agency’s 2025 Strategic Compass.
The technological challenges of developing ITAR-free and NDAA-compliant systems are significant but surmountable. The DGA’s investment in domestic semiconductor production, with €200 million allocated to STMicroelectronics in 2024, aims to reduce reliance on U.S. and Chinese chips, which account for 35% of global drone microchip supplies, according to a 2024 Bloomberg report. By 2027, France aims to produce 50% of its drone components domestically, up from 20% in 2024, as per a GIFAS industry forecast. The H160M UAV, equipped with a European-made electro-optical sensor, achieves a 98% ITAR-free component ratio, ensuring compliance with both ITAR and NDAA while maintaining a 150-kilometer detection range and 8-hour endurance, as detailed in a June 2025 Airbus press release. These advancements require rigorous supply chain auditing, with 1,200 supplier checks conducted by the DGA in 2024 to ensure no restricted components were used, according to a Ministry of Defense report.
The environmental impact of transitioning to ITAR-free systems involves trade-offs. While European manufacturing reduces dependency on long-distance supply chains, lowering carbon emissions by 10% for localized production, as estimated by a 2025 European Commission study, the energy-intensive process of semiconductor fabrication consumes 150 megawatt-hours per ton of silicon, according to the International Energy Agency’s 2024 Semiconductor Energy Report. France’s €75 million investment in green manufacturing, announced in the 2025 Budget Law, aims to offset this by integrating solar-powered facilities, reducing emissions by 12% per production cycle compared to traditional methods.
Ethically, ITAR-free systems reduce the risk of unintended technology transfers to adversaries, a concern highlighted by 18 ITAR violations involving Chinese nationals in 2024, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice. By maintaining human-in-the-loop protocols, as mandated by a March 2025 French Ministry of Defense directive, France ensures targeting decisions comply with the 1949 Geneva Conventions, avoiding the 10% error rate in autonomous systems observed in a 2024 NATO study on AI-driven targeting. Public oversight, however, remains limited, with only 5 parliamentary hearings on drone ethics held in 2024, according to Assemblée Nationale records.
France’s pursuit of ITAR-free and NDAA-compliant naval drones is a strategic necessity, driven by the need for operational freedom, economic competitiveness, and geopolitical leverage. By investing €750 million in unmanned systems by 2028, as outlined in the 2024-2030 Military Programming Law, and securing €230 million in export contracts in 2025, France is redefining its role in the global defense landscape. The integration of platforms like the Oceanix and VSR700, coupled with rigorous compliance with international regulations, positions France to navigate the complexities of modern warfare while fostering innovation and autonomy.
