The large-scale military exercise Orion that took place on Thursday, April 30, 2026 was praised by Emmanuel Macron, who attended it on Thursday, April 30, 2026, as proof of France’s and its European allies’ ability to defend themselves. This exercise, in which several European countries participated, had been launched in February to train the French army and NATO in new high-intensity warfare.
“It showed us the credibility that Europeans have in being able to deploy an operation of this magnitude together. And France is a key nation in this context,” declared the President of the Republic and Chief of the Armed Forces in Suippes, Marne. “It’s a very clear message to our Ukrainian partners who are waiting for us on this front, and to all our European brothers-in-arms,” he added.
During the day, the President notably visited the division command post, responsible for directing the action of all units deployed in the reconquest of the terrain against a fictional enemy. He also witnessed shots from Caesar cannons, new mortars that have entered service in recent years, and machine gun fire from infantry trenches.
He was also presented with the latest equipment of the Army, made possible by the budgets allocated by the military programming laws in recent years. “What I saw today is an army that is advancing, transforming, modernizing, and ready to face our contemporary challenges,” stated Emmanuel Macron. “And that’s why this exercise is so important, and you can be proud to have contributed to it,” he emphasized, to make France “a power recognized by its allies, feared by its enemies,” he continued.
For the Chief of the Army Staff, General Pierre Schill, Orion is also “a success because it forced us to work on a large scale and we gained a lot of experience.” The advanced division command post, concealed under camouflage nets, reflects the lessons learned from the conflict in Ukraine where command posts are prime targets: to remain as discreet as possible, it changed position five times during the exercise, involves only 50 people, and utilizes civilian communication networks to avoid detection.
The Army had 3,000 drones at the beginning of the year, and by the end of 2026, it will have 15,000, the President was informed. “Have we learned all the lessons from Ukraine?” Emmanuel Macron questioned, highlighting the “seven million” drones used by Kiev.
“Our effort is to stay at the level of technology and ensure that every soldier is a drone operator,” responded General Philippe de Montenon, commanding the land operational force. But he acknowledged that “there is still work to be done” in the anti-drone effort.
Another general pointed out the “lack of means of crossing” to overcome the numerous rivers that had to be crossed during the reconquest phase of Exercise Orion.
Hovering at high speed and low altitude over the green fields of wheat and yellow rapeseed, a helicopter raid crossed the enemy’s line of contact to strike at their rear. Emmanuel Macron, on board one of them, witnessed Hellfire missile launches by Tiger combat helicopters and the deployment of an FPV drone (immersion pilot) to hit targets.
The President then flew over a network of trenches, used for training in a form of combat that the Army is learning to master. On the ground, in the chalky dust of Champagne, multiple shots from Caesar cannons and new Mepac mortars onboard armored vehicles illustrated the focus on artillery.
“We need a mass artillery and connect it to a maximum of sensors,” argued General Schill. For example, with the DT-46 reconnaissance drone used to detect targets for artillery, “operational for a year,” explained an artilleryman to the President.
The exercise took place in four phases since October, from operational planning to troop deployment in a coalition. Approximately 12,500 soldiers were engaged in this final phase with 1,800 tactical vehicles, 30 helicopters, and 800 combat drones. Six other countries participated: Belgium, Italy, Spain, Greece, Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
