The French government has reportedly called on the civilian industry, including the automotive sector, to adapt their production lines for large-scale military manufacturing—specifically, the production of kamikaze drones.

The initiative, reported by the French newspaper L’Opinion, signals France’s growing urgency to increase its military capabilities amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. 

Emmanuel Chiva, head of the Direction générale de l’armement (DGA), the French Defense Procurement Agency, emphasized the need for rapid reforms to streamline procurement processes and ramp up mass production.

A key part of this initiative involves the mass production of kamikaze drones. According to the report, at least one major French car manufacturer has already been approached to produce drones similar to those used on the Ukrainian battlefield. 

The goal is to manufacture several thousand drones within months, a production scale previously unseen in France’s traditionally slow-moving defense sector.

The move comes in the wake of the war in Ukraine, which has exposed vulnerabilities in the French defense industry’s ability to produce military equipment at the scale and speed required in modern warfare.  

The widespread use of kamikaze-style drones in Ukraine has illustrated their potential to shift combat strategies, frequently acting as a substitute for traditional artillery fire. 

“This is not what our manufacturers are used to because, for decades, it has not been a key criterion for us. So we have to look for industrial experience in other sectors,” said Chiva. 

In addition to the automotive industry, the French government is reportedly considering enlisting expertise from sectors such as chemicals, energy, and even food production to support the mass manufacturing of drones and other military hardware.

This call to action echoes a historical precedent from World War I, when French companies like Michelin and Renault shifted their civilian operations to produce military equipment, including planes and tanks. 

The DGA’s current initiative aims to reinvigorate this approach and transform the civilian industry into a key pillar of national defense production. 

Shift To Wartime Thinking

NATO is intensifying its efforts to ramp up weapons and equipment production as part of a broader shift towards a “wartime thinking” mentality initiated by newly appointed Secretary General Mark Rutte. 

This strategy comes in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has prompted the military alliance to reconsider its approach to defense manufacturing and readiness.

The war in Ukraine has exposed vulnerabilities in NATO’s defense capabilities, which led to a fundamental rethinking of how member countries should prepare for future conflicts. 

Recently, it was reported that NATO has begun transferring classified information to its defense industry, allowing manufacturers to more effectively respond to the alliance’s evolving needs. 

This move includes providing defense companies with classified guidance on which weapons and equipment are most urgently required. 

Secretary General Rutte, in his first major address last year, called for member nations to “turbo-charge” defense spending, acknowledging that European countries are ill-prepared for the potential threat posed by Russia. 

He warned that NATO is not ready for the challenges it could face in the next four to five years and emphasized the urgency of increasing defense capabilities. The conflict in Ukraine, he noted, has underscored the importance of being prepared for similar challenges on European soil.

European officials have echoed Rutte’s concerns, with EU diplomatic chief Kaja Kallas highlighting the possibility of Russia targeting a European Union country by as early as 2028. 

In her speech at the European Defense Agency conference on January 23, Kallas referred to national intelligence reports indicating that Russia may soon test the EU’s defense capabilities. 

She stressed the need for the EU to strengthen its military readiness, pointing out that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s leadership is driven by a “language of force.”

The intensifying threats from Russia have led European nations to accelerate their defense initiatives. In France, for example, the government is actively working to bolster its defense industry. 

Last year, France’s Minister for the Armed Forces, Sebastien Lecornu, signed an unprecedented “UAV pact” designed to foster collaboration between the French military and the country’s drone industry. 

This pact aims to develop a strategic unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capacity, focusing on drones under 150 kilograms.

This pact reflects France’s broader strategy to strengthen its defense capabilities, aligning with NATO’s push for increased production and preparedness in response to evolving security challenges.

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