France has withdrawn from the Eurodrone program in its updated 2024-2030 Military Programming Law (LPM), unveiled April 8, 2026, redirecting funds to develop cheaper sovereign MALE UAVs suited for high-intensity conflict. This move, backed by an additional €36 billion in defense spending, elevates the Rafale F5 upgrade with €3.4 billion to create a collaborative combat hub integrated with loyal wingman drones.
The Eurodrone, a multinational effort by Airbus, Dassault, and Leonardo that passed critical design review in October 2025, is now deemed too slow, costly, and mismatched for modern warfare lessons from Ukraine and the Middle East. Paris no longer plans to procure any units, favoring agile theater drones free from export restrictions and ITAR-like dependencies.
Rafale F5 enhancements include Safran’s T-REX engine for greater thrust, new supersonic missiles for air defense suppression and anti-ship roles, and AI-driven coordination of uncrewed systems. This pivot strengthens French operational independence, reducing reliance on U.S. assets while pressuring European partners on joint projects.
Overall spending reaches €449 billion through 2030, with the budget climbing to €57.1 billion in 2026 and €76.3 billion by 2030. Priorities extend to A400M fleet expansion to 35 aircraft, deep-strike ballistic missiles with Germany by 2035, and nuclear deterrent growth, signaling France’s bid for European security leadership amid tensions with collaborators.