France has successfully launched a state-of-the-art satellite into orbit, which is designed to allow all of France’s armed forces around the world to communicate rapidly and securely.
Paris created a Space Force command in July 2019 amid concerns that rival countries were investing heavily in space technology, which was seen as a new military frontier.
French Air and Space Force spokesman Col Stéphane Spett explained that the satellite is “designed to resist military aggression on land and in space as well as interference.” AFP.
The Ariane 5 rocket carrying the Syracuse 4A satellite took off from Kourou in French Guiana late Saturday, completing the mission 38 minutes and 41 seconds after takeoff.
The satellite can survey its surroundings and propel itself to evade attack.
“Thanks to its state-of-the-art equipment (anti-jamming antenna and digital transparent processor on board), Syracuse 4A will guarantee high resistance to extreme jamming methods,” launch provider Arianespace wrote in its mission statement.
Mark Finaud, an expert on weapons proliferation at the Geneva Center for Security Policy AFP The satellite was also protected from the electromagnetic pulse that would result from a nuclear explosion.
“This is the last warning scenario, if the detention fails,” he said.
In March, France began its first military exercises in space to test its ability to protect its satellites, calling them “a first for the French military and also a first in Europe”.
The French government accused Russia in 2017 of bringing its intelligence-gathering satellite Olympique-K, also known as Loch, into the proximity of the French-Italian military satellite Athena-Fidus, which Defense Minister Florence Parly called “spying”. an act of”. “
Last year, the US claimed that Russia had conducted a non-destructive anti-satellite weapon test from space.
In March, French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said other similar incidents had occurred since then, but gave no details.
Investment in France’s space program is set to reach 4.3 billion euros ($5 billion) in the budget period of 2019-2025 – although it is a fraction of the amount spent by the United States or China.