U.S. Security Cooperation with France

France is the United States’ oldest treaty Ally and provided key economic and military assistance during the Revolutionary War.  Today, our nations still stand together in support of democratic values and the rules-based international order.  We coordinate closely on numerous global and regional security issues, especially in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indo-Pacific. 

France is one of the twelve founding members of NATO and the fourth-largest contributor to the Alliance’s military budget.  As NATO Allies, the United States and France work together to strengthen the Alliance’s deterrence and defense, collaborating in military modernization and interoperability, defense industrial production, non-proliferation, military exercises and training, counterterrorism, cyber and border security, and countering emerging and hybrid threats.  On NATO’s periphery, France and Germany lead EU efforts in coordination with the United States to pursue normalization between Kosovo and Serbia.  France and the United States also work closely together on efforts to bring about a long-term diplomatic resolution to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.  Outside of Europe, the United States and France cooperate closely on counterterrorism challenges.

The United States and France are also participating States of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), where France participates in OSCE missions in the former Yugoslavia and Moldova, and, along with the Unites States, is one of the largest donors of OSCE extrabudgetary projects, including the Support Program to Ukraine.  The United States and France also share membership in the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, which aims to improve relations between NATO and non-NATO nations.  France is also an observer to the Organization of American States (OAS). 

France has been a leader in efforts to support Ukraine against Russia’s war, having contributed an estimated 3.5 billion dollars in military support to Ukraine as of November 2023, including several dozen Caesar howitzers, critical air defense systems, and SCALP cruise missiles with plans to accelerate production in order to increase provision, and cooperation with the U.S. to mitigate the risk of weapons diversion.  France is also providing initial pilot training to Ukrainian pilots as part of a joint effort with European partners and has spearheaded European Union efforts to provide additional military assistance to Ukraine. 

In the Indo-Pacific, the United States and France are both active members of the Multinational Working Group, along with our Five Eye partners and Japan, which is focused on coordinating security capacity building efforts throughout the region.  France is also a sending state to the United Nations Command in Korea, a member of the Pacific Security Maritime Exchange, which supports the enforcement of UN sanctions against North Korea.  Lastly, France participates in several bilateral, trilateral, and multilateral exercises across the Indo-Pacific, including the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the Philippines’ Balikatan, Thailand’s Cobra Gold, and Indonesia’s Super Garuda Shield.

The United States has $6.2 billion in active government-to-government sales cases with France under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system. FMS cases notified to Congress are listed here, and recent and significant sales include: E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircraft Procurement Support and Sustainment; Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG); Switchblades 300 – Lethal Miniature Aerial Missiles System (LMAMS); AGM-114R2 Hellfire Missiles; E-2C Hawkeye Sustainment Support; MQ-9 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle; MQ-9 Communications Intelligence Sensor Pod Suites, and Support; and C-130J/KC-130J Hercules aircraft The United States is proud to support its foreign policy and national security objectives by improving the security of France through the Foreign Military Sales program. France is an essential force for political stability and economic progress in Europe. 

In FY 2018-22, the United States also authorized the permanent export of over $1.5 billion in defense articles to France via the Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) process.  The top three categories of defense exports to France were Military Electronics; Fire Control, Laser, Imaging, and Guidance Equipment; and Aircraft and Related Articles.

The United States has also provided France with equipment under the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program.  These include the provision of aircraft engines, E-2C aircraft, and maritime spare and repair parts. 

The United States and France have numerous agreements governing various aspects of security cooperation including on personnel exchanges, logistics support, information security, and defense research projects. 

France is also a large contributor to UN Peacekeeping operations, most significantly to UNIFIL, having contributed 659 personnel to the mission as of January 2024. As of February 2023, France is the second largest contributor of troops among the five permanent members of the security council to UN Peacekeeping Operations, with more than 700 personnel deployed in total. 

Since 2018, France has contributed 380 staff members to support Operation Sea Guardian in the Mediterranean.  Since 2016, France has actively been contributing to reassurance measures for the Baltic States and Poland, including the provision of air policing support to Estonia and participation in AWACS patrols over Eastern Europe.  France and the United States also contribute to NATO’s forward presence in the Black Sea, which demonstrates the Alliance’s solidarity and adaptability in the region.  France has increased its focus on defense cooperation in recent years, specifically with Germany and other European countries, as well as the United Kingdom.  In 2017, France launched the European Intervention Initiative, which seeks to build European capacity to jointly conduct military operations and missions.  France has committed one frigate to Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea.

According to the Landmine Cluster and Munition Monitor, France supports humanitarian mine action programs to clear landmines and unexploded ordnance and provide mine risk education in nine countries:  Iraq, Ukraine, Mauritania, Libya, Benin, Azerbaijan, Myanmar, Yemen, and Syria.  The United States funds similar programs in several of these countries. 

France participates in several significant bilateral and regional exercises with the United States, EU, and NATO Allies, to include:  Project Orion, Atlantic Trident, Dynamic Manta, and Steadfast Defender. 

For further information, please contact the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at PM-CPA@state.gov, and follow the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs on Twitter, @StateDeptPM.