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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
National
RFI

France pumps money into eastern air base to handle nuclear-armed bombers

Members of French air force stand next to a Mirage 2000-5 airplane at the Luxeuil-Saint Sauveur air-base, eastern France, on 24 June, 2019. AFP - SEBASTIEN BOZON

In a sign of the growing security nerves in Europe, France has embarked on a $1.7 billion (€1.5 billion) renovation of an air base in remote hills in the east of the country so it can handle nuclear-armed bombers.

The work will take a decade but from 2035 the Luxeuil-Saint Sauveur base will be twice the size it is now and it will house new generation hypersonic missiles carried by 50 of France's Rafale fighter jets.

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