France Seeks Low-Cost Drone Defense After Studying Ukraine War and Iranian Attacks

France is reassessing its air defense strategy and exploring more affordable ways to counter drones after studying Ukraine’s experience and Iran’s attacks on countries in the Middle East.

According to Politico, the French military says both conflicts are shaping decisions on which weapons Paris will develop, acquire, and deploy.

France is already working on projects to use interceptor drones instead of expensive air defense and aviation missiles. The government is also cooperating with defense companies to enable mass production of such systems.

“We are taking everything we can learn from Ukraine, especially in terms of capability development – both in the context of the Middle East and potential future developments on the eastern flank,” French Air and Space Force Deputy Commander General Dominique Tardif shared.

French fighter jets and air defense systems are currently deployed, including in the United Arab Emirates, to intercept Iranian drones. Tiger attack helicopters have also been deployed in the Persian Gulf region for these missions.

In addition, high-intensity combat in Ukraine, and now in the Middle East, has exposed gaps in Western arsenals.

NATO armed forces are not yet fully equipped to counter relatively low-cost threats in a cost-effective way, as the missiles used are significantly more expensive than the drones they intercept.

“We are working on a range of projects to try to reduce the cost of destroying Shahed drones,” Tardif explained.

Cheaper options include using helicopters to intercept drones and equipping Rafale fighter jets with laser-guided missiles.

As previously reported, Paris is concerned about the overuse of MICA air-to-air missiles while intercepting Iranian drones in the Middle East.

France is also preparing an updated military programming law that assumes increasing ammunition stockpiles and expanding their production. Overall, the country plans to spend €8.5 billion to replenish its arsenals by 2030.