Fulfilling its NATO commitments, France deployed Rafale fighters to Poland in response to russian drone attacks. The decision was announced on September 11 by French President Emmanuel Macron, who noted that only three aircraft would be sent.
This raised skepticism about NATO's level of involvement in countering russia's escalation on the eastern flank.
Read more: Million-Dollar Missiles vs Thousand-Dollar Drones: Poland Seeks Cheaper Air Defense Options Against Drone Threats
However, after French Air and Space Force Chief of Staff General Jérôme Bellanger published photos of the Rafales deployed in Poland, Paris's true intent became clearer.
According to Defense24, all three fighters belong to Escadron de Chasse 2/4 La Fayette, based at Air Base 113 Saint-Dizier–Robinson. These are not standard Rafales, but specialized variants certified to carry nuclear weapons.
As Defense Express points out, France has only 20 such aircraft, which form part of its nuclear deterrent forces. Whether they actually arrived in Poland with nuclear weapons — possibly transported aboard the A400 aircraft that also landed there — remains unknown. Still, the deployment of these forces at Mińsk Mazowiecki Air Base near Warsaw, just 115 km from the Belarusian border, is highly significant.
Unlike European fighters that would, if required, be armed with U.S. B61 free-fall nuclear bombs, the Rafales are equipped with supersonic ASMP-A missiles. These missiles have a range of 500 km, fly at Mach 3, and carry TN 81 warheads with yields between 100 and 300 kilotons.
Although France maintains a relatively small nuclear arsenal, it is fully independent — unlike that of the United Kingdom. Maintaining the arsenal costs France €6.6 billion annually (2024 figures), about 14% of its total defense budget. France also regularly conducts Poker exercises to train its nuclear-capable air forces.
Read more: Kremlin Planned Drone Attacks on Poland Since July Using russian UAVs with Polish SIM Cards
