French troops are preparing for a high-intensity conflict against the enemy as Colonel Axel Denis, who runs a combat training centre (CENTAC) at Mailly-le-camp in eastern France, claims that military action in Ukraine has brought full-scale war back to the continent, according to Politico.
“The world has revealed its true nature: unstable, dangerous, and not everyone is a friend. We’re gearing up for a culture of alert, of being ready at short notice. CENTAC is the only place [in France] where you can see what war is like.”
The 120 square kilometre camp is unique in France. It is the only place where the various units of the French Army – infantry, armoured vehicles, artillery and engineers – normally scattered throughout the country, can conduct joint exercises.
The training conditions for troops at CENTAC are as close as possible to real battlefields. The sound, heat and light of artillery fire are replicated, false mines are scattered around, with radio communications interrupted without warning.
After decades of military operations in Africa, France was increasingly focussed on Europe’s eastern flank and its armed forces should be credible, army commander General Pierre Schill declared in January. By 2027, the French army aims to be able to deploy one division of about 25,000 soldiers in 30 days.
We’re not in the same situation as Ukraine, but we’re part of a coalition, and that comes with commitments. The notion of credibility in collective defense, particularly in NATO, is essential.
In the scenario developed for the French trainees, their goal is to slow down their enemies, a role played by experienced troops permanently stationed at CENTAC. The main lesson from Ukraine, CENTAC officers said, was to avoid frontal attacks that resulted in huge casualties and could not repel the enemy.
Instead, it should be a cohesive effort of infantry, armoured vehicles, engineers and artillery, combined with new technologies, such as drones that relay information back to the troops and provide killing power on the battlefield. Lieutenant Colonel Vincent, head of the camp’s coordination and steering office, stated:
“The war in Ukraine reinforced the importance of combined arms combat. It’s the only way to fight.”
The final exercise lasts 96 hours. Soldiers sleep an average of four hours a night, usually in uncomfortable military vehicles. They have to move every five minutes, otherwise they face [fake] explosions. Colonel Axel Denis added:
If their reaction is inappropriate, there’s a penalty. It’s a physical confrontation, but above all, it’s about a desire to last, to fight, to dominate.
Soldiers also learn to use maps instead of computers and phones – in what is known as “downgraded mode” – to be prepared for situations on the battlefield when networks are blocked by enemies. At a time when everyone is constantly online, CENTAC instructors want soldiers to be aware of the risks associated with being online. Lieutenant Colonel Vincent noted:
“Smartphones and social networks are a real threat for soldiers. The enemy force has tools to detect signals and fires artillery at revealed locations; one captain lost his entire team because of a smartphone.”
At the end of training, soldiers will receive a performance evaluation and a grade on a scale of one to five. However, Vincent has pointed out that “we’ve never given a five,” as the French Foreign Legion’s motto states, “hard training, easy war.”
