**PARIS —** France is advocating for a new European initiative to enhance ammunition production, including complex ordnance such as missiles. This proposal will be a topic of discussion during a meeting of European Union defense ministers in Warsaw scheduled for April 2 and 3, as stated by French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu.
At a press briefing held in Paris on Tuesday afternoon, Lecornu expressed his intentions to urge the European Commission to expedite the deployment and increase the budget for the IRIS² sovereign satellite constellation. This briefing took place alongside his Danish counterpart, Troels Lund Poulsen.
The upcoming meeting will focus on several critical issues, including a white paper outlining the future of European defense, strategies for developing and financing defense capabilities within the 27-nation bloc, and military support for Ukraine. Lecornu emphasized the need for concrete measures to strengthen Europe’s defense industry, stating, “We have to stop with the big speeches, we have to stop with the packages of billions where we don’t always know exactly how it works. We need things that are sometimes perhaps more modest, but very effective.”
He highlighted the success of the EU’s Act in Support of Ammunition Production, which allocated €500 million ($540 million) to enhance ammunition output. This initiative is projected to enable the production of 2 million artillery shells in 2023, up from an estimated annual capacity of 230,000 rounds at the beginning of the year.
Lecornu pointed out that the new ammunition program should address both simple and complex munitions, including missiles. He mentioned that EU assistance could facilitate licensed production by missile manufacturer MBDA in various European nations, complementing corporate financing and host country purchases.
France is reportedly garnering support from other EU member states for a faster rollout of the IRIS² plan, although Lecornu did not disclose specific country names. He noted that the project is vital for European strategic autonomy but faces significant execution challenges.
The satellite constellation is being deployed by a consortium led by SES, Eutelsat, and Hispasat, which aims for full operational status by the early 2030s. This timeline has been pushed back several years compared to the initial EU timetable that anticipated readiness by 2027.
Lecornu underscored the urgency of the situation, stating, “It’s an issue on which the commission is obviously eagerly awaited and on which we’d like to help,” emphasizing that financial resources and streamlined governance are crucial for expediting the initiative. He compared the situation to SpaceX’s Starlink, noting the absence of a “plan B” in terms of satellite solutions.
Regarding Denmark’s defense collaboration with France, Lund Poulsen announced the formal purchase of French Mistral short-range air defense missiles and expressed optimism for further joint projects. Denmark’s government has committed an additional 50 billion kroner ($7.2 billion) to defense over the next two years, aiming to increase defense spending to over 3% of GDP by 2025 and 2026.
Denmark is also in the process of revitalizing its air-defense capabilities after decommissioning its Hawk missile systems in 2005. It has shortlisted options for high-end air defense, evaluating French-Italian SAMP/T and U.S. Patriot systems, while considering lower-end options like MBDA’s VL MICA and Kongsberg’s NASAMS.
Lund Poulsen acknowledged Denmark’s vulnerability regarding land-based air defense, indicating that a government decision could be expected before summer. He expressed the need for collaboration with France in addressing this gap in defense capabilities.
Notably, acquiring the SAMP/T system would position Denmark as the first EU export customer for this long-range air-defense system, following its current use by France and Italy. Ukraine has also received a SAMP/T system for defensive purposes.
In a related context, Lund Poulsen addressed the American military presence in Greenland, Denmark’s autonomous territory, noting the historical agreement facilitating U.S. operations there since 1951. He reaffirmed Denmark’s readiness to discuss any U.S. proposals for expanding military presence in Greenland.
**Rudy Ruitenberg** is the Europe correspondent for Defense News, with a background in technology, commodity markets, and politics reporting, having begun his career at Bloomberg News.
