Raoul Castex: an admiral strategist at the heart of the spirit of defence
To mark the 90e As the IHEDN celebrates its 400th anniversary and the French Navy celebrates its 400th anniversary, we look back at the life of Admiral Raoul Castex (1878-1968), founder of the Institute. An exceptional sailor and major military theorist, he was able to impose a global vision of strategy that still informs our thinking today.
Franco-British defence cooperation
This fact sheet focuses on Franco-British military cooperation, from its historical foundations marked by the Entente Cordiale of 1904, the First World War, the Battle of Dunkirk (1940) and the Suez Crisis (1956) to post-Cold War operational rapprochement. It analyses the role of the Treaties of Lancaster House (2010) and Lancaster 2.0 (2025), which institutionalise the Franco-British Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) and strengthen nuclear and capability coordination, while highlighting the limits of this solidarity in the face of national trade-offs and divergent industrial choices. Finally, it sheds light on the prospects for the relationship, between opportunities for European rapprochement post-Brexit and the challenges posed by competition in the development of military capabilities. It also sheds light on the differing approaches of Paris and London to Ukraine, in a context of strategic recomposition of European defence.
Successful take-off for the 248e session in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region
From 17 March to 17 April, 46 students from a wide range of backgrounds will be meeting in Belfort, Besançon, Chalon-sur-Saône and Dijon to gain a deeper understanding of the defence, security and resilience issues shaping our strategic environment and having a direct impact on our regions.
General Schill: «The identity of each regiment is nurtured by its local roots».»
In the aftermath of the municipal elections, Army General Pierre Schill, Chief of Staff of the French Army, describes the close links that this institution maintains with the many territories in which it is based and the close cooperation between the various units and the regional sessions of the IHEDN. Interview.
Africa on the move: a seminar to rethink Franco-African partnerships
A seminar devoted to the contemporary dynamics of the African continent brought together experts and decision-makers with a common objective: to rethink the relationship between France and Africa in the light of current challenges.
90 years of IHEDN exhibition
To mark the Institute's 90th anniversary, this exhibition retraces the history of the IHEDN since it was founded in 1936.
A unique forum for meetings and dialogue between the nation's driving forces, both in France and internationally, the Institute has gradually opened up to civil society in order to work towards building a shared defence culture. For nine decades, it has pursued a singular mission: to train citizens from diverse backgrounds to better understand crises and threats, in the interests of national cohesion and resilience.
Sylvie Bermann: «In diplomacy, France often has a knock-on effect».»
From 2020 to 2026, French Ambassador Sylvie Bermann chaired the IHEDN Board of Directors. In this long interview, the former plenipotentiary in Beijing, London and Moscow looks back at the changing geopolitical context over these years and the way in which the Institute has adapted to it.
Business report 2025
The new edition of the IHEDN activity report is now available. This document reviews the highlights, initiatives and actions carried out by the Institute over the past year. It highlights the commitment of its teams, its students and all its partners in promoting a culture of defence and security.
General Bonnemaison: cyberspace «a field of operations in its own right»
Lieutenant General Aymeric Bonnemaison, Director of Defence Intelligence and Security, analyses the far-reaching changes in counter-intelligence in the digital age: changing threats, hybridisation of opposing modes of action, the rise of cyber and the proliferation of both state and non-state actors. Interview.
Invasion of Ukraine, four years on
To analyse the high-intensity conflict triggered by Russia on 24 February 2022, the IHEDN's special report includes an interview with the Director of the École de guerre on the state of the forces involved, and two articles on the use of drones and hybrid threats, with insights from military personnel, researchers and practitioners.
French 
English