냉전이후시대 프랑스의 해양 군사 전략

Abstract

On the European Continent, France is a second military power after Russia, and also a second economic power after Germany. With her independent nuclear weapons and her overseas intervention capabilities based mainly on 1 aircraft carrier and 1 helicopter-carrier and Rapid Deployment Forces(Force d'Action Rapide: FAR), France, a permanent member of UN Security Council, exerts a great influence on World Politics as a World Power. Since the periode of General De Gaulle, France has adopted an independent security policy in order to maintain the World Power status, and the powerful French Navy has played a pivotal role in her independent security policy. Her independent security policy includes three dimensions as follows. First of all, France maintains a nuclear dissuasion force(la Force de Frappe), independent of U.S.A and Russia. French nuclear dissuasion force consists of the Strategic Air Force(la Force aérienne stratégique: FAS) and the Strategic Ocean Force(la Force océanique stratégique: FOST). France attaches greater importance to the FOST armed with 4 submarines with 350 nuclear balistic missils than the FAS. Second, France, withdrawn from NATO military structure in 1966, should defend her territory, - be it mainland or overseas possessions situated in the 3 Oceans -, and her maritime communication route with her proper military power. France maintains several overseas naval bases in the 3 Oceans and deploys a powerful maritime capabilities, especially 2 aircraftcarriers(1 of which is helicopter-carrier). Third, France is very attached to the maintenance of a patron-client relationship with former colonial African States for her various interests and the image of Great Power. In order to maintain this privileged zone of influence in Africa, the French military action seems more important than economic ties. In this French military action in Africa, French navy plays an important role, especially in the supporting and trasport role. In the post-cold war era, French navy also regards the mission of protection in coastal region(SPATIONAV) as important as the missions of dissuasion, prevention and projection. At any rate, France attaches and will attach great importance to the Independent Security Policy as a World Power, in spite of the some marginalization of her status and her influence after the collapse of Bi-polar System and the German unification. So French navy will continue to play a pivotal role in the French security policy.