PARIS — The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has awarded the first preparatory engineering contracts for the €1.5 billion reconstruction of Air Base 116 (BA 116) at Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur, officially launching a long-term modernization project that will transform the site into France's fourth nuclear-capable air base.
The initial contracts, awarded on July 25, 2026, begin the engineering and site-preparation phase of the project, which follows the strategic force restructuring announced by French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to Luxeuil on March 18, 2025.
Under the plan, the base will host two Strategic Air Forces squadrons operating approximately 50 two-seat Rafale F5 fighter aircraft equipped to carry the future ASN4G hypersonic nuclear missile. The transformation will restore Luxeuil's nuclear deterrence mission, a role the base lost in 2011.
The Defence Infrastructure Service will oversee the reconstruction in coordination with the French Air and Space Force, while the Directorate General of Armaments will synchronize infrastructure work with the delivery of aircraft, weapons, communications systems, simulators, and other operational equipment.
Engineering Work Begins Before Major Construction
The first contracts cover engineering studies, site surveys, design preparation, utility assessments, and planning work required before large-scale construction begins in 2027.
The reconstruction will take place within the base's existing 477-hectare footprint and will modernize nearly every major facility surrounding its 2,433-meter NATO-standard concrete runway.
Planned upgrades include reconstruction of the runway surface, taxiways, aircraft parking aprons, roads, vehicle areas, hangars, maintenance buildings, utilities, water supply, drainage networks, accommodation, dining facilities, and operational headquarters.
The project also includes construction of specialized facilities such as a dedicated information technology building, a separate simulator complex, nuclear-certified storage facilities, secure mission planning areas, classified information systems, protected communications networks, aircraft servicing areas, weapons preparation facilities, and restricted-access operational zones.
Much of the existing infrastructure dates back to the 1950–1953 modernization of the base, making replacement of aging buildings and support networks a key part of the project.
Personnel to Increase Significantly
The conversion to a nuclear mission will require a major increase in manpower over the coming decade.
Permanent military and civilian personnel at the base are expected to increase from about 1,200 in 2025 to nearly 2,000 by 2035. Maintenance staff will expand from around 300 to approximately 800 personnel, while the pilot population is expected to quadruple.
The future force structure will require more personnel because the nuclear mission will be carried out by two-seat Rafale aircraft, with each mission involving both a pilot and a weapon systems officer.
The weapon systems officer is responsible for navigation, communications, electronic warfare, threat monitoring, mission timing, tanker coordination, and nuclear weapon procedures, allowing the pilot to focus on flying and tactical mission execution.
This operating model also increases the need for simulator training, mission rehearsals, instructors, and classified planning staff.
Flying Operations to Pause During Reconstruction
To allow unrestricted access across the airfield during construction, all flying operations at Luxeuil are expected to stop from 2029 to 2032.
The temporary suspension follows the planned end of Mirage 2000-5F operations in 2029 and will continue until the arrival of the first Rafale F5 aircraft in 2032.
During this period, the air base will temporarily be absent from France's fighter-base network while extensive work is carried out across the runway, taxiways, parking aprons, and central operational facilities.
Peak construction activity is expected to involve between 1,500 and 2,000 workers, creating a temporary workforce comparable to or larger than the base's current permanent population.
Managing the project will require dedicated entry points for civilian contractors, separation of classified and non-classified areas, management of heavy construction traffic, and coordination with nearby municipalities regarding accommodation, transportation, roads, and public services.
Rafale F5 and ASN4G to Form Future Nuclear Force
Luxeuil will become the first French air base specifically designed around the Rafale F5 and ASN4G weapon system.
The first Rafale F5 aircraft are expected to arrive in 2032. The first squadron is planned to become operational in 2033, followed by a second squadron in 2036, with full dual-squadron readiness targeted the same year.
During infrastructure planning, the two future squadrons are provisionally designated RAF7, scheduled for 2033, and RAF8, planned for 2036.
The planned inventory of approximately 50 aircraft suggests a nominal strength of about 25 fighters per squadron, although operational availability will vary due to maintenance, training, upgrades, and aircraft servicing requirements.
The Rafale F5 standard is being developed with enhanced computing capability, sensor fusion, electronic warfare architecture, communications capacity, and weapon interfaces required for integration with the ASN4G missile and future uncrewed combat aircraft.
The ASN4G, currently under development by MBDA, is intended to replace the ASMPA-R after 2035. The missile is designed to achieve hypersonic speed, maneuver during flight, and reduce the probability of interception by future air-defense and missile-defense systems.
It is planned to equip both the French Strategic Air Forces and French Naval Aviation, maintaining France's airborne nuclear deterrent from both land-based and carrier-based aircraft.
France's Fourth Nuclear Air Base
France currently operates three nuclear-capable air bases: Saint-Dizier, Istres, and Avord. Once completed, Luxeuil will become the country's fourth nuclear air base.
The July 2026 contract awards mark the beginning of the engineering and planning phase that will determine how the entire installation is rebuilt within its existing footprint over the coming decade, preparing the base to support the future Rafale F5 fleet and ASN4G nuclear missile system.
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