Not long ago, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the creation of a French space force that will be responsible for protecting the state's satellites. The country appears to be taking the issue seriously as France's defense minister announced the launch of a program that will develop nanosatellites equipped with lasers and other weapons.
Minister Florence Parly announced that β¬700 million from the country's main military budget would be reallocated to space defense. Moreover, by 2025, about β¬4,3 billion will be spent for these purposes. Among other things, this money will be used to modernize the French network of military communications satellites.
The military wants next-generation satellites equipped with cameras that can identify adversaries. In the future, satellites should be equipped with special submachine guns and lasers, which will allow them to attack and disable the spacecraft of a potential enemy.
Even the French Ministry of Defense stated that the military should have the ability to launch into orbit a group of nanosatellites that can protect strategically important objects. In addition, the military must be able to quickly launch satellites, which will allow them to quickly replace devices that have failed. According to available data, the French military plans to form such a constellation of satellites by 2030.
Minister Parly says that France's goal is not to go on the offensive, but to defend itself. It is noted that if a country identifies a state committing a hostile act, it will be able to strike back using military satellites. She also noted that the French program does not conflict with the Outer Space Treaty, which explicitly prohibits things like nuclear weapons or βother weapons of mass destruction.β
Source: 3dnews.ru