The North Atlantic Council visits French Nuclear Strategic Force

  • 26 Apr. 2016 -
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  • Last updated: 27 Apr. 2016 11:16

The North Atlantic Council and Military Committee visited the Command of the French Nuclear Strategic Force at L’Ile Longue (France), on Tuesday (26 April 2016).

Flags of the 28 NATO member countries

The visit stresses the essential contribution that France’s conventional and nuclear forces bring to the security and defence of the Alliance’s territory and population. The NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg described it as a clear demonstration of the credibility of France’s strategic nuclear forces.

Modernizing NATO’s deterrence and defence posture will be an important part of the agenda of the next Warsaw Summit in July. Mr. Stoltenberg underlined that the Summit will ensure that NATO’s nuclear deterrent is credible and fit for purpose.

At L’Ile Longue NATO Ambassadors and the members of the Military Committee visited several French nuclear submarines. They also exchanged views with French senior civilian officials and military officers, including the Chief of Defence, the Director General for International Affairs and Strategy at the Ministry of Defence, the Commander of the Nuclear Submarine Strategic Force, and the Commander of the Strategic Air Force.