ABSTRACT
An analysis of the future of French defense and of France's armed forces necessarily centers around two major themes. The first deals with planning and with certain aspects of the equipping of our forces; and the second raises the major problems of maintaining the credibility of our defense concept as well as the related problem of the implications of military utilization of space. This chapter deals with the increasing role of sophistication in our armed forces' equipment. Sophisticated weaponry draws largely on microelectronics; the most spectacular advances are expected in the field of terminal guidance, especially with third-generation missiles. The French Rapid Action Force would be called upon to develop a high density air-to-air and surface-to-air aerial defense in an extremely hostile environment, characterized by a high incidence of ground and air fire and a harsh environment of electronic warfare.
