France and Germany deepen nuclear ties: French nuclear-capable Rafale jets temporarily hosted in Germany, joint drills set for September

VIENNA — Nuclear cooperation between France and Germany has moved from rhetoric to concrete action, with French nuclear-capable bombers visiting a German airfield this month and joint exercises now on the calendar.

Nuclear Steering Group and 'Forward Deterrence'

In March, leaders in Paris and Berlin established a "nuclear steering group" to coordinate closer integration on atomic strategic matters. The initiative is part of a major French doctrinal shift known as "forward deterrence," under which France pledges to extend its nuclear umbrella to other European countries.

Germany was among the first nations to sign up for the scheme four months ago. To date, nine countries spanning from Norway to Greece have joined the initiative.

Joint Exercises and Aircraft Deployment

Speaking alongside French President Emmanuel Macron on July 17, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz officially confirmed reports that Germany would participate in upcoming French nuclear exercises with its own conventional forces.

The exercise, identified by Politico as the French "Poker" maneuver, is scheduled to take place in September.

Macron also announced that, for the first time, a French nuclear-capable Rafale jet had been temporarily hosted at a German air base — specifically at Nörvenich near Cologne, where the Franco-German Defence and Security Council met on July 17.

A day earlier, French Rafales had been refueled midair alongside German Eurofighters in a symbolic launch of the two countries' nuclear strategic cooperation.

Context and Relationship with NATO

The meeting at Nörvenich was the first major high-level defense meeting since the collapse of the joint Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project, which had strained relations between French and German defense contractors.

Despite this, the leaders presented a forward-looking and cooperative stance.

"We are charting a new, shared course in deterrence," Merz said, while emphasizing that the initiative should not be seen as competition to NATO nuclear sharing, but rather as a supplement to it.

"This complements our commitment to NATO's nuclear sharing and deterrence arrangements, which we continue to uphold," Merz added.

Under NATO's current U.S.-led nuclear sharing arrangement, Germany hosts American nuclear bombs on its soil and operates dual-capable aircraft that can deliver the weapons if authorized by the U.S. president. Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, and Turkey similarly host U.S. nuclear bombs.

Sovereignty and Future Plans

Under the new doctrine, sovereignty over the weapons and all decision-making related to their use will remain in Paris. However, conventional tasks may be undertaken by Germany and other allies under the forward deterrence scheme. The arrangement may also see French fighter jets operating out of other European countries' air bases.

Macron described Germany as playing a "vanguard role" in European deterrence.

France is the only European Union country with its own nuclear arsenal following the U.K.'s departure from the bloc in 2020. Alongside announcing the forward deterrence strategy in March, Macron also announced plans to increase France's nuclear stockpile, contributing to a broader trend of unraveling long-standing Cold War-era arms control arrangements.

The nuclear steering group will continue to refine how Germany fits into the framework of French nuclear deterrence, including identifying avenues for collaboration and determining which forces could be used.

From the French side, inviting Germany into the fold would involve "explaining some aspects of how we operate, sharing certain closely held practices, offering joint exercises, developing joint initiatives and partnerships and fostering greater … trust among our teams, experts and military personnel," Macron said in Nörvenich.

About the Author

Linus Höller is Defense News' Europe correspondent and OSINT investigator. He reports on arms deals, sanctions, and geopolitics shaping Europe and the world. He holds master's degrees in WMD nonproliferation, terrorism studies, and international relations, and works in English, German, Russian, and Spanish.

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