PHOTOS BY FRENCH Air Force
In 1777, Marquis de Lafayette’s commitment to the Continental Army paved the way for a Franco-American alliance that will celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2027. From Yorktown to the beaches of Normandy, this partnership always has been at the forefront of history. Today, the space sector, whether civil or military, is one of the pillars of this bilateral relationship.
In 1965, France became the third country to launch a satellite into orbit following the Soviet Union and the United States. Since then, French-U.S. space cooperation, embodied by the relationship between NASA and The Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), has been structured around scientific programs, Earth observation, manned flight and space exploration. Today, this cooperation extends to the military, reflected in the close operational links between the space commands, the development of skills through interallied exercises, a multilateral framework that multiplies forces, and a convergence in international forums. At the end of 2024, France and the U.S. conducted the first-ever bilateral rendezvous and proximity operation in space. Built on solid historical ties, the relationship in the military space sector strengthens every day.
Operational cooperation
In 2019, the near-simultaneous publication of the French and U.S. space defense strategies increased the need for bilateral cooperation. Indeed, the strategies have significant points of convergence: a shared reading of threats and risks; a “protect and defend” mission; a willingness to promote standards of responsible behavior; and parallel reorganization efforts within the armed forces. Thus, in August 2019, U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) was reestablished by the U.S., and the French Space Command, Commandement de l’Espace (CDE), was created five days later. An operational military-to-military dialogue was established in July 2022 through a terms of reference (ToR) document. And in December 2023, a concept of operations or CONOPS dialogue between the CDE and USSPACECOM was initiated to develop operational cooperation in the field of space domain awareness. To bring this cooperation to life, two French liaison officers are now based at USSPACECOM in Colorado and at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, while a liaison officer from the U.S. Space Force is based at the CDE in Paris.
This cooperation takes place within the Space Cooperation Forum, a political-military framework created in 2009 to bring together French and U.S. space defense authorities once a year. It also is part of a broader framework of an interministerial-level Comprehensive Space Dialogue, initiated in 2021 after a commitment by the French and U.S. presidents to put space dialogue back at the highest level of the bilateral relationship.
Training at the forefront
As the French defense space sector continues to grow, particularly in terms of its active defense in space component, the education and training of French specialists and operators is a priority for the French Space Command. As well as stepping up operational cooperation, France is providing its military personnel with access to U.S. training courses. Notably, in April 2022, a ToR document was signed with the U.S. Space Force that included a training component. Also, a dozen French personnel already have taken part in the Space Coalition Course organized by the National Security Space Institute at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. The French Air Force also has an occasional place at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies at Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.
In this context, space exercises are as much an opportunity to enhance skills as they are a way of learning to work together. Since 2021, USSPACECOM has been taking part in the AsterX French space exercise, organized annually by the CDE and drawing more than 170 participants from 12 allied countries. France takes part in the annual U.S.-hosted Global Sentinel space situational awareness exercise, as well as the geopolitical-strategic Schriever wargame.
Bilateral cooperation, multilateral framework
Space is hard. Faced with this precept, multiplying forces seems essential. Thus, French-U.S. cooperation intensifies within a multilateral framework. At the political and military level, this multilateral cooperation manifests through the Combined Space Operations (CSpO) initiative, bringing together Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom and the U.S., which aims to develop a shared and cross-functional vision of the strategic, diplomatic and military challenges of space defense. Through ongoing exchanges and an integrated approach, it improves cooperation, coordination and interoperability of military space assets. The operational level is manifested through Multinational Force-Operation Olympic Defender, which France joined in October 2024. The force strengthens operational cooperation in space and constitutes a major step in the conduct of military space operations in coalition. Lt. Gen. Philippe Adam, French space commander, also underlined the importance of this membership. “Joining the Multinational Force-Operation Olympic Defender is, for France, the return of the spirit of Lafayette to defend freedom in space together against growing threats,” he said. Finally, operational cooperation also is implemented through noninstitutional actors such as joint commercial operations, which bring together allies, partners, academia and industry to support space missions.
Shared legal, diplomatic issues
France and the U.S. share a common vision, reflected in numerous areas of convergence on the diplomatic front. Indeed, in international forums, the countries promote voluntary standards of responsible behavior and transparency measures to ensure the stability, safety and sustainability of space. As evidence of this commitment, France and the U.S. pledged in April 2022 not to conduct any further destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite tests. This follows a Russian test in November 2021 that resulted in a large field of debris in low Earth orbit.
About the author: French Air Force Capt. Vincent Aquilina is attached to the strategy office of French Space Command, based in Paris. He previously worked for the French aerospace company ArianeGroup.