L'IHEDN : Institut des hautes études de défense nationale

Eurosatory 2026 : qu’est-ce que la « supériorité multi-domaine » ?

Coline Dassonville — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:05:01 UTC

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To understand this key concept in modern military doctrine, a simple analogy comes to mind: that of a large symphony orchestra.

Originally, the art of war was based on compartmentalised operations. Land, sea and air forces each operated according to their own plans. Coordination between the different branches of the armed forces, or between the armed forces as a whole, took place on a case-by-case basis.

Today, the emergence of new arenas of conflict (cyberspace, outer space via satellite networks, the information sphere on social media, etc.) has made strategic thinking and operational realities far more complex.

FROM ISOLATED ACTION TO A SYMPHONY OF COMMUNITIES

«Multi-domain superiority» involves precisely synchronising all these environments—both physical and digital—in real time. The success of operations now depends on comprehensive coordination and the synchronisation of effects between physical environments and equipment originally designed for their own specific environment.

In an article published in 2020 in the Revue Défense Nationale whilst he was a visiting student at the Centre for Advanced Military Studies (CHEM) and the IHEDN, Étienne Faury believed that «modern multi-domain warfare has its origins in the Soviet era and the doctrinal proliferation of the 1920s and 1930s».

He has since been promoted to Air Force Major General (and appointed at the end of 2025 Head of Nuclear Expertise for Defence and Security, Étienne Faury added that the modern version of multi-domain warfare emerged in the United States in the 2010s in order to «address the resurgence of symmetric threats from Russia and China whilst incorporating new conflict environments».

A DOCTRINAL REVOLUTION ACCELERATED BY THE RETURN OF HIGH-INTENSITY OPERATIONS

Here is how he defined this «revolution», which he described as both «indispensable and inevitable»:

«Modern so-called multi-domain operations involve integrating and combining the effects of new domains (information, cyber and space) into joint operations at the operational and tactical levels, with an accelerated decision-making cycle, in order to surprise, overwhelm or disrupt the adversary. […]

Whoever can make decisions and take action most swiftly to achieve the greatest combined effect thereby gains a military advantage: the element of surprise. […]

Some experts believe that this cross-sector synergy is inevitable in the long term, given the convergence of all sectors via digital tools. »

Six years on from these analyses, and in the wake of recent high-intensity conflicts, this synergy has become an operational reality. It is now firmly established within the French armed forces and the defence industrial and technological base, as evidenced by the creation of the Future combat command (CCF) of the Army in 2023, or that of the Defence Digital Commission (CND, reporting directly to the Minister for the Armed Forces) in 2025.

Another example is the decision to make multi-domain superiority the main theme of Eurosatory 2026. This theme aims to highlight «the integration of digital technologies, AI, cloud computing and C4ISR [Editor’s note: an acronym for «command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance»] and electronic warfare to enhance the forces» protection, coordination and information superiority.

THE SIX PILLARS OF MULTI-DOMAIN SUPERIORITY

Axis 1 will be developed through six thematic areas that define the current scope of multi-domain superiority:

C2 (command and control), sensor fusion and autonomous decision-making: collect and instantly cross-reference data from multiple sources to speed up decision-making;
Electromagnetic warfare and spectrum warfare: control and dominate the spectrum to ensure communications, detection and jamming;
Cyber defence and digital sovereignty: to ensure the security of critical systems and the continuity of operations in cyberspace;
Influence, disinformation and cognitive warfare: to protect or impose a narrative in the face of hybrid strategies and the manipulation of perceptions;
Defence cloud and tactical data: process and analyse data, which has become an operational resource in its own right;
Interoperability and broader alliances: ensure technical compatibility and seamless data sharing between allied forces.

On the exhibition stands, this development is radically changing the way equipment is presented. A tank or a drone is no longer displayed as a stand-alone piece of equipment, but as a hyper-connected component of a single network.

The aim of the live demonstrations and simulations on display at Eurosatory is to bring this concept to life: to show how information captured from space or the air by a drone or satellite is transmitted live to a soldier’s screen on the ground, guiding their immediate actions.

TO FIND OUT MORE

Eurosatory 2026, on the website of the Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs

L’article Eurosatory 2026 : qu’est-ce que la « supériorité multi-domaine » ? est apparu en premier sur L'IHEDN : Institut des hautes études de défense nationale.

Le modèle suédois de Défense totale, un exemple d’innovation et de résilience pour l’Europe

Coline Dassonville — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:09:13 +0000

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At a time when Europe is going through the most serious security crisis since the Second World War, characterised by a grey area where the line between peace and war is becoming blurred, Sweden is emerging as an essential doctrinal and operational laboratory.

The country's accession to NATO definitively buries the historic policy of neutrality adopted in 1812. As a state bordering the Baltic Sea, Sweden brings to the Alliance its valuable strategic geography in Northern Europe, transforming the region into a highly secure and interconnected space.

This geopolitical shift is accompanied by the greatest evolution in national defence and security doctrine for two centuries. Through the concept of «Total Defence» (Totalförsvar), this kingdom of engineers is modernising a global model in which security is no longer the sole preserve of the armed forces, but a «team sport» involving the State, industry and individual citizens.

A MODEL ROOTED IN CONSENSUS, INNOVATION AND HISTORY

To understand the Swedish trajectory, it is necessary to identify the pillars of a nation of 10 million inhabitants that combines strong decentralisation, a deeply rooted culture of consensus and a historically autonomous and powerful defence industry. If relations with France are embodied in the historic figure of Marshal of the Empire Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, who became King of Sweden Charles XIV Jean in 1818, the two nations today share a major strategic partnership. Renewed in 2024, it structures their cooperation in civil nuclear power, space and emerging technologies (such as the links between Mistral AI and EcoDataCenter).

It is on this bedrock of technological excellence and social cohesion that Sweden is rebuilding its resilience. Historically non-aligned, the country developed a titanic civil protection system during the Cold War before dismantling it in the era of «eternal peace». Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2015, followed by the massive invasion of Ukraine, was the wake-up call for strategy. From now on, political will will be accompanied by massive financial resources, with NATO setting an ambitious investment course for the protection of critical infrastructures.

THE INSTITUTIONAL BACKBONE OF CIVIL RESILIENCE

At the heart of this overall architecture is an institution undergoing radical change: the new Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency. Recently attached to the Ministry of Defence - under the aegis of a newly-created Ministry of Civil Defence, a historic first - this structure of 1,500 staff visually and administratively materialises the merging of military and civil approaches.

Its mission is considerable: to coordinate a national ecosystem of around 1,000 key players (government agencies, prefectures, municipalities, businesses). The Swedish administrative model, characterised by small political ministries and large autonomous executive agencies, gives it remarkable agility.

The agency does not just operate on the home front; it deploys personnel around the world, particularly in Ukraine, a veritable forward observation post for modern warfare from which Sweden is learning important lessons.

The doctrine of this renewed civil defence is based on four fundamental pillars:

Maintaining essential social functions (energy, transport, health) in the face of Russian strategies to systematically target civilian infrastructure.
Direct support for military defence capabilities, NATO plans.
Protecting the population, This was based on a network of shelters capable of accommodating seven million people and on mass evacuation plans.
Defending cognitive space, The aim is to educate and protect the public against misinformation and to preserve the will to defend themselves.

THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND CITIZENS: SOLDIERS FOR ECONOMIC CONTINUITY

One of the most striking innovations of the Swedish model is its management of the security of supply (Security of Supply). Aware that the State can no longer finance or manage gigantic fixed public stocks, Sweden has chosen to rely on the creativity and flexibility of the private sector. Through an Industrial Advisory Council that brings together the heads of major strategic companies and the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, the country organises economic resilience upstream.

Companies with more than five employees are subject to rigorous planning: in the event of a major crisis or conflict, they are legally obliged to be able to operate independently for a fortnight. This requires dependencies to be mapped out, business continuity plans to be drawn up and human resources to be carefully managed, anticipating the fact that certain key managers could be mobilised at the front.

At the same time, the citizen is put back at the centre of the system via the duty of total defence (Total defence duty), which stipulates that all residents of Sweden aged between 16 and 70 must serve their country in the event of a crisis. The country is thus relaunching civilian conscription on a massive scale, initially targeting the emergency services before including a civilian component in the conscription examinations for 18-year-olds from next year.

This popular involvement is underpinned by a culture of transparency. The famous «yellow brochure», a in the event of crisis or war« preparedness booklet» distributed to every household, has been reissued with a tone of unprecedented seriousness:

«If Sweden is attacked, we will never surrender. Any suggestion to the contrary is false.»

As a sign of the times and of NATO integration, this document now explicitly includes awareness of cyber attacks and the threat of nuclear weapons.

PLANNING FOR INFORMATION WARFARE AND CRISIS SCENARIOS

Cognitive resilience is Sweden's other major project, led by the Psychological Defence Agency. Faced with a Kremlin that uses history as an ideological battlefield to legitimise its imperial ambitions and deny its neighbours' right to exist, Sweden responds with factual counter-analysis and critical training. This information war, which targets the vulnerabilities of our democracies through social networks, the gaming or the recuperation of historical facts (such as Moscow's recurrent commemoration of the Battle of Poltava 1709), is closely monitored in direct bilateral cooperation with the French agency VIGINUM.

To provide a common compass for this general mobilisation, the Swedish army and civil defence co-wrote a remarkable reference document: the «Planning Assumptions for Total Defence». Exceptionally, this document sets out a framework for the resistance of three months in the event of armed conflict is entirely public and unclassified.

It sets out seven cardinal reference scenarios that determine the scale of the national effort:

Everyday hybrid threats ;
Support for the host nation (Host Nation Support), positioning Sweden as NATO's nerve centre for logistics and transit to Finland and the Baltic States; ;
A military attack in the far north ;
The defence of the highly strategic island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea; ;
Waves of long-range missile strikes across the country; ;
Two scenarios for collective intervention by NATO to secure the northern and Baltic flanks.

A CUTTING-EDGE DEFENCE INDUSTRY DRIVEN BY INNOVATION

The second pillar of the Swedish miracle is its industrial base, which is historically strong and technologically independent. Sweden devotes more than 3 % of its GDP to research and development (R&D), an effort that has been boosted to almost 70 % by private sector initiatives. This economic vitality is reflected in an exceptional concentration of high-tech start-ups: Stockholm now exceeds London and Los Angeles in the number of «unicorns» (companies valued at over a billion dollars) per inhabitant.

This excellence has a direct impact on the defence sector, where military investment has doubled in the space of just four years. Today, 43 % of the total defence budget is devoted strictly to equipment procurement. This positive overheating has led the military-industrial sector to hire 6,000 people in 2024, while the arms industry's turnover will jump by 55 % between 2023 and 2024.

The Swedish arsenal is based on world-renowned technological flagships:

Generation 4+ fighter aircraft Saab Gripen ;
High-performance armoured fighting vehicles ;
The artillery system Archer, a highly automated 155 mm gun mounted on an off-road truck chassis, co-produced by Bofors and Volvo ;
Advanced rocket launcher systems and cutting-edge electronic solutions.

To maintain this conceptual lead, the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) launched the Glimt. This strategic foresight tool uses probability calculations to anticipate technological and tactical breakthroughs on future battlefields.

UKRAINE AND GOTLAND: THE FRONT LINES OF STRATEGIC SOLIDARITY

The war in Ukraine is both the catalyst for the Swedish doctrine and its main field of application. Since the beginning of the conflict, Sweden has made a colossal financial and military effort of 8 billion euros of aid to Kiev. Recently, on 19 February, Stockholm announced a massive new tranche of military aid worth €1.2 billion, focusing mainly on air defence, the shipment of munitions and logistical support for combat platforms already delivered.

In addition to these transfers, Sweden is actively involved in a number of training missions for Ukrainian soldiers. Above all, its support strategy has evolved: for several months now, Sweden has been supporting Kiev without drawing excessively on its own military stocks. Swedish industries are now directly producing new equipment for the Ukrainian forces.

This long-term alliance reached a historic milestone in October 2025: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson signed a letter of intent to allow Saab to supply between 100 and 150 Gripen fighters to Ukraine, radically transforming the capabilities of the Ukrainian air force.

At the same time, Sweden is securing its own strategic locks. The island of Gotland, a veritable «unsinkable aircraft carrier» in the middle of the Baltic Sea, is of crucial importance. It is an integral part of the 17 key sites covered by the Defence Cooperation Agreement (Defense Cooperation Agreement - DCA) signed between the United States and the countries of Northern Europe. This agreement makes Gotland a new strategic hub, optimising both the logistics of aid to Ukraine and defence industrial cooperation between Washington and the Nordic capitals.

LESSONS FOR EUROPEAN SOVEREIGNTY

The Swedish case forcefully demonstrates that technological and military sovereignty cannot flourish without deeply shared civil resilience. By breaking down the silos between military planning and economic realities, by contractualising the role of companies and by making every citizen responsible, Sweden is not content to simply protect its territory: it is offering Europe an agile, transparent and modern «Total Defence» model.

Faced with the multidimensional threats of the 21st^e century, resilience is no longer a passive option. sine qua non democratic survival.

L’article Le modèle suédois de Défense totale, un exemple d’innovation et de résilience pour l’Europe est apparu en premier sur L'IHEDN : Institut des hautes études de défense nationale.

Le Senior Strategic Course 2025-2026 s’achève à Rome : trois modules pour penser la sécurité européenne de demain

Coline Dassonville — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:47:48 +0000

Organised in partnership with the Egmont Institute (Belgium), the Bundesakademie für Sicherheitspolitik (BAKS) (Germany), the Centro Alti Studi per la Difesa (CASD) (Italy) and the CESD, the course took place in three successive modules in Brussels, Berlin and Rome. It brought together experienced civilian and military managers from European institutions, national administrations, armed forces and partner organisations.

Brussels: the foundations of strategic thinking

The first module, hosted in Brussels by the Egmont Institute and the Royal Military Academy of Belgium, was devoted to the major geopolitical balances in the world and the main strategies of contemporary powers. Participants focused on Russian, Chinese and American strategies, as well as the geopolitical dynamics affecting Europe's African and Middle Eastern neighbours. Discussions also focused on geo-economic issues and the role that the European Union can play in a context marked by the return of strategic competition between major powers.

Berlin: war-tested Europe

The second module, organised by BAKS in Berlin, looked in greater depth at the security consequences of the return of war to the European continent. Participants discussed integrated security, EU-NATO cooperation, strategic planning, global defence and the future of warfare with senior German political, military and institutional figures. Visits to the Bundestag and the Bundeswehr operational command, as well as discussions with representatives of the European defence industry, enriched the discussions on Europe's ability to meet current and future security challenges.

Rome: European defence, industry and strategic challenges

The third and final module, co-organised by CASD and IHEDN in Rome, addressed a number of major issues for the future of European security: implementation of the White Paper on European Defence and the «ReArm Europe - Readiness 2030» plan, strengthening the European defence technological and industrial base, developments in transatlantic relations, the role of the European Union in its southern neighbourhood, EU-NATO cooperation on innovation and hybrid threats.

Strengthening a common European strategic culture

Through this new edition of the Senior Strategic Course, IHEDN has continued its commitment within the CESD to the development of a shared European strategic culture. Each year, IHEDN co-organises the third and final module of the SSC with the Italian CASD, alternating between Rome and Paris. After the 2026 edition hosted in Rome, the final module of the 2027 edition will be held in Paris, thus continuing this dynamic of Franco-Italian and European cooperation in the service of strategic thinking and collective security.

L’article Le Senior Strategic Course 2025-2026 s’achève à Rome : trois modules pour penser la sécurité européenne de demain est apparu en premier sur L'IHEDN : Institut des hautes études de défense nationale.

Clap de fin pour le 93e cycle Intelligence Économique et Stratégique (IES) en région toulousaine

Coline Dassonville — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:11:37 +0000

During seven days of training spread over two weeks, 25 participants from the public sector, industry, defence, security, academia and consultancy came together with a common objective: to acquire a business intelligence methodology enabling them to understand, anticipate and act in an increasingly complex strategic environment.

For this 93^e edition, IHEDN chose one of France's industrial flagships: aeronautics.

Through a case study focusing on Airbus and its ecosystem, participants worked on the major issues of sovereignty that are shaping international competition today: control of value chains, critical dependencies, protection of know-how, economic warfare, cybersecurity, influence and industrial resilience.

Over and above the theoretical lessons, this course provided an opportunity to immerse oneself in the heart of one of our country's most strategic regions.

Participants had the privilege of discovering the final assembly line for the Airbus A320, a symbol of European industrial know-how and France's ability to remain a leading aeronautical power.

They were also welcomed to the Direction Générale de l'Armement - Techniques Aéronautiques (DGA TA), a key player in France's technological superiority, where they were able to gain a better understanding of the challenges of innovation, evaluation and sovereignty that accompany the development of aeronautical and defence capabilities.

This year's event was also marked by a remarkable mobilisation of regional government departments. Participants benefited from the insights and feedback of those involved on a daily basis in protecting the national economic fabric, whether in terms of economic security, cybersecurity or the protection of scientific and technical heritage. This was a concrete illustration of the essential cooperation between the State, businesses and the academic world in the face of today's threats.

Throughout the course, the auditors were introduced to the main business intelligence tools:

strategic intelligence and anticipation ;
OSINT and the use of open sources ;
economic security ;
cybersecurity ;
influence and public affairs ;
compliance and risk management ;
strategic decision support.

The pedagogy of the IES cycles is based on a simple principle: using a strategic sector as a pretext for acquiring a method that can be directly transposed to any organisation.

This approach culminated in the committee work carried out throughout the course. Divided into four groups, the participants analysed various issues related to the aeronautics ecosystem in order to produce strategic recommendations and decision-making tools.

Their final reports were presented to a panel of judges made up of Brigadier General Hugues de Roquemaurel, Nicolas Dubuc, Business Intelligence Advisor, and Pierre Woblewski, Business Intelligence Officer at Airbus.

The series closed with a speech by Bernard Carayon, a leading figure in economic intelligence in France. His analysis of contemporary geopolitical, technological and information-related changes served as a reminder of just how topical the issues of economic sovereignty are, and the importance of training decision-makers capable of incorporating these dimensions into their strategies.

This 93^e This year's edition fully illustrates the DNA of IHEDN's IES cycles:

decompartmentalise approaches ;
bringing public and private players together; ;
combining expertise; ;
develop a collective intelligence in the service of national sovereignty.

The IHEDN would like to thank all the speakers, partners and institutions that contributed to the success of this event, in particular: Airbus, the Occitanie regional prefecture, the DGA Techniques aéronautiques, the strategic information and economic security department (SISSE) and other government departments involved in economic security. But also the Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d'information (ANSSI), the Institut des hautes études du ministère de l'Intérieur (IHEMI) and the Protection civile de la Haute-Garonne.

After cycles devoted to semi-conductors, quantum, submarine cables, New Space and nuclear energy, this new edition confirms IHEDN's determination to anchor its training courses as close as possible to France's major strategic ecosystems in order to gain a better understanding of the sovereignty challenges of the 21st century.

Finally, congratulations to the new IHEDN auditors for their commitment, the quality of their work, their intellectual curiosity and the collective spirit that has animated this class throughout the cycle. And welcome to the community of IHEDN auditors.

L’article Clap de fin pour le 93^e cycle Intelligence Économique et Stratégique (IES) en région toulousaine est apparu en premier sur L'IHEDN : Institut des hautes études de défense nationale.

Mission d’étude au Japon : les auditeurs au cœur des enjeux de défense et de sécurité économiques en Indopacifique

Coline Dassonville — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:08:47 +0000

From 16 to 23 May 2026, students in the Defence and Economic Security (DSE) major in the 5^e session of the IHEDN led a study mission to Japan, between Tokyo, Osaka and Kobe.

Why Japan?

For a long time, Japan's post-World War II posture was one of pacifism, but its defence and security strategy is now undergoing major change.

Faced with the rise of China, tensions in the China Sea, threats from North Korea and the challenges of industrial and technological dependency, Japan is gradually strengthening its military, industrial and strategic capabilities.

For IHEDN auditors, this mission represented a unique opportunity to study :

the evolution of japan's strategic posture
increasing integration between defence and economic security
industrial and technological sovereignty policies
energy issues and the supply of critical resources
geopolitical balances in East Asia and the Indo-Pacific region
Franco-Japanese cooperation in strategic and technological areas.

A week of strategic exchanges and immersion in the field

Throughout the mission, the auditors met a wide range of institutional, diplomatic, industrial and academic players in order to gain a better understanding of Japan's strategic choices in the face of contemporary challenges.

Some of the main topics covered include

The strengthening of Japanese military capabilities and the evolution of defence doctrine
The challenges of economic security and strategic sovereignty
Industrial and technological dependence, particularly on rare earths and critical resources
Strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific and rising regional tensions
Franco-Japanese cooperation in defence, innovation and dual technologies
Energy, industrial and logistics issues in a highly globalised economy.

This mission also gave the auditors access to a number of institutions and industrial sites, particularly in terms of Japanese strategy:

The National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS)
The Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA)
Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA)
The Joint Robotics Laboratory
Airbus Helicopters
The Riken Center and its supercomputing capabilities
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Otowa Electric Company
The Osaka military camp of the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Forces
The port of Kobe, a key infrastructure for Japan's economic and logistics flows.

Understanding Japan's strategic transformation

In addition to the military aspects, this mission enabled us to gain a better understanding of how Japan is adapting its power model to the geopolitical changes taking place around the world.

Between technological sovereignty, economic resilience, industrial innovation and rising regional tensions, Japan is now emerging as a central player in the strategic balances of the 21stᵉ century.

A dense and immersive mission, offering listeners a concrete understanding of the new defence and economic security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

L’article Mission d’étude au Japon : les auditeurs au cœur des enjeux de défense et de sécurité économiques en Indopacifique est apparu en premier sur L'IHEDN : Institut des hautes études de défense nationale.

Mission d’étude en Suède pour les auditeurs de la majeure Souveraineté Numérique et Cybersécurité

Coline Dassonville — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 12:35:47 +0000

In a context marked by the return of conflict in Europe, hybrid threats and the rise of digital challenges, the aim of this mission was to enable the auditors to analyse a particularly integrated security model, combining military defence, civil security, technological innovation and the mobilisation of society.

Why Sweden?

Sweden's accession to NATO in 2024, after more than two centuries of neutrality, represents a major strategic turning point in Northern Europe. This change is accompanied by a profound transformation of its defence and security policy.

For IHEDN auditors, Sweden today represents a genuine strategic laboratory focusing on several key themes:

total defence involving the armed forces, public authorities, businesses and citizens
cyber security and critical infrastructure protection
combating hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns
national resilience and population preparedness
European and Nordic cooperation on security and sovereignty.

This mission enabled us to study how a European State adapts its organisation in the face of a profoundly degraded strategic environment.

A programme combining strategy, innovation and the field

Throughout the week, auditors took part in a wide range of institutional, strategic and operational discussions on the major contemporary security challenges.

The main topics covered included

The Swedish «total defence» model and its link between the civilian and military spheres
Cybersecurity and digital sovereignty issues
Hybrid threats, information warfare and psychological defence
The evolution of Sweden's strategic posture after joining NATO
Franco-Swedish and European cooperation in the fields of defence and digital technology
Security issues in the Baltic and Nordic region.

The mission also included a number of visits and meetings in the field to get a real feel for Sweden's defence and innovation capabilities.
Listeners were able to find out more about :

The Berga and Muskö naval bases, pillars of Swedish maritime strategy
The activities of the Saab Group, a major player in the European defence industry
FOI (Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut), a research institute specialising in defence, cyber security and strategic technologies.

Understanding the changes in European security

Beyond the strictly military or digital aspects, this mission gave the auditors a better understanding of the profound changes in security policies in Europe.

Sweden today stands out as a particularly telling example of a model where societal resilience, technological innovation, strategic culture and international cooperation are becoming central levers of sovereignty.

It was a dense and immersive mission, offering listeners a concrete vision of the responses provided by European States to the security challenges of the 21st century.

L’article Mission d’étude en Suède pour les auditeurs de la majeure Souveraineté Numérique et Cybersécurité est apparu en premier sur L'IHEDN : Institut des hautes études de défense nationale.

Les auditeurs de l’IHEDN au cœur des enjeux stratégiques néerlandais

Coline Dassonville — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:58:38 +0000

From 18 to 22 May 2026, the auditors of the EDA major flew to the Netherlands for their study mission, a strategic immersion within a key European partner, which enabled them to deepen their understanding of the dynamics of security, innovation and the defence economy in a country that is both highly integrated into European structures and committed to transforming its strategic capabilities.

Why the Netherlands?

Thanks to its central geographical position, its economic openness and its expertise in the technological, industrial and logistics sectors, the Netherlands is a particularly relevant field of study for IHEDN auditors.

The aim of this mission was to gain a better understanding of the way in which a European State today combines sovereignty, cooperation and innovation in the face of new security challenges.

The auditors were able to analyse :

the place of the Netherlands in the European strategic balance
Franco-Dutch cooperation on armaments
changes in the defence industry
cybersecurity, resilience and crisis management issues
the impact of energy and technology transitions on defence policies

Beyond strictly military issues, this mission also enabled us to observe the functioning of a European ecosystem combining institutions, industry, innovation and multilateralism.

A packed programme of diplomacy, industry and innovation

Throughout the week, listeners took part in a wide range of conferences, institutional meetings and field visits to learn more about the major issues facing the European defence economy today.

Among the highlights of the mission:

Analysis of Franco-Dutch relations in the field of armaments and industrial cooperation
Presentation of the new Dutch defence doctrine, geared towards innovation and adaptation to high-intensity conflicts
Study of the financing of the defence effort and investment strategies
Focus on naval innovation and the capabilities of the Royal Netherlands Navy
Meetings with institutional and industrial players in the DTIB and with entrepreneurs brought together by French Tech Amsterdam
Visits to the industrial sites of Thales Netherlands, which specialises in radar systems, and Destinus, an innovative company in the field of missiles and disruptive technologies.
Discover the Port of Rotterdam, a major strategic infrastructure and global logistics hub at the heart of European economic flows.

A concrete vision of European defence issues

This fact-finding mission enabled the auditors to develop a concrete understanding of the challenges facing European states: rising international tensions, adapting industrial models, technological sovereignty, cybersecurity and the resilience of critical infrastructures.

It also illustrates the growing importance of European cooperation in the fields of armaments, innovation and economic security.

Through this immersion in the Netherlands, students in the EDA major were able to enrich their strategic thinking while increasing their knowledge of the profound changes that are currently reshaping European defence policies.

L’article Les auditeurs de l’IHEDN au cœur des enjeux stratégiques néerlandais est apparu en premier sur L'IHEDN : Institut des hautes études de défense nationale.

Saint-Brieuc accueille la 250e session en région Bretagne de l’IHEDN

Coline Dassonville — Wed, 27 May 2026 15:22:19 +0000

From 19 to 22 May 2026, the Côtes-d'Armor hosted the first week of the 250^e session in the Brittany region of the IHEDN, focusing on major strategic issues in national defence and security.

The opening day, held at the Conseil départemental in Saint-Brieuc in the presence of the Prefect of Côtes-d'Armor, was the occasion to open this exceptional session - the 250th in the history of the Côtes-d'Armor region.^e of its kind - before fifty-two auditors from the public and private sectors, both civilian and military. Ambassador Pierre Lévy, Chairman of the IHEDN Board of Directors, gave his views on the major trends in the contemporary world, drawing on his experience as French ambassador in a Russia at war.

The week's regional dimension was highlighted by INSEE Bretagne, which provided a socio-economic overview of the region, an essential prerequisite for understanding local defence and resilience issues. A visit to the Côtes-d'Armor departmental fire and rescue service gave the audience a practical insight into the crisis management and civil protection systems deployed in the region.

The week also included a closer look at the economic fabric of the Costarmoric region, with a visit to the European leader in armouring and mobile protection, Centigon France, in Lamballe. The auditors then discovered the Technopole Anticipa in Lannion, an ecosystem unique in France for the density of its innovative companies in digital technology, photonics and cybersecurity, more than twenty of which work directly for national defence.

A memorial sequence at the Collège Le Braz in Saint-Brieuc, linked to the history of the 71st arrondissement^e Infantry Regiment, was a reminder of how deeply rooted the military is in Brittany's identity.

This year's commemoration takes on a special dimension. As part of the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the IHEDN, the 250^e session in the Brittany region inaugurates a new partnership with the Order of the Liberation: students are invited to choose the name of their class from among the Companions of the Liberation. This innovation anchors this anniversary session in the memory of those who risked their lives to forge France's sovereignty and freedom - values that have been at the heart of the IHEDN's mission since it was founded in 1936.

Enriched by this first week of demanding training, the auditors are due to arrive in Brest on Tuesday 26 May for a week's internship dedicated to discovering our armed forces and France's defence system.

L’article Saint-Brieuc accueille la 250^e session en région Bretagne de l’IHEDN est apparu en premier sur L'IHEDN : Institut des hautes études de défense nationale.

13e édition du cycle des cadres civils du ministère des Armées

Coline Dassonville — Wed, 27 May 2026 08:53:58 +0000

From 18 to 22 May 2026, the IHEDN organised the 13ᵉ cycle of civilian executives from the Ministry of the Armed Forces at the École Militaire, bringing together around sixty auditors from various directorates and entities of the Ministry.

Designed as a key stage in the professional development of the MinArm's civilian managers, the aim of this cycle is to strengthen their understanding of the major strategic, defence and security issues, while consolidating their cross-disciplinary skills and their knowledge of the Ministry's institutional and operational environment.

Over the course of five days, listeners took part in a packed programme based around three main modules:

Strategic issues
Knowledge of defence and the armed forces
International cooperation and conflict

The conferences addressed major issues at the heart of contemporary defence and security concerns: intelligence and crisis management, European security and NATO's role, nuclear deterrence, space, climate change, defence partnerships with Africa and geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East.

The auditors also paid a field visit to ArianeGroup, giving them an opportunity to immerse themselves in a major player in the French defence and space industry.

As with all the Institute's training courses, committee work played a central role in the cycle. Divided into focus groups, the auditors studied three strategic subjects:

The acceptability of the defence effort in French society
The digital resilience of the public sector in the face of hybrid threats
The public faced with misinformation

As well as acquiring knowledge, this course also aims to develop a common defence culture and encourage exchanges between managers from a variety of professional backgrounds: administrative, financial, legal, human resources, property, purchasing and project management functions.

Through this course, the IHEDN is pursuing its mission of raising awareness and supporting civilian and military decision-makers in the face of contemporary strategic, technological and geopolitical transformations.

L’article 13^e édition du cycle des cadres civils du ministère des Armées est apparu en premier sur L'IHEDN : Institut des hautes études de défense nationale.

Le Japon, laboratoire de la sécurité économique contemporaine

Coline Dassonville — Fri, 22 May 2026 12:32:10 +0000

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Since October 2025, Sanae Takaichi has been Prime Minister of Japan. During her investiture speech, the first woman to hold this position in the Far Eastern empire hammered home the need for the country to rearm militarily, but also placed particular emphasis on economic security. She is no novice in this field: from 2022 to 2024, she held the portfolio of Minister of State for Economic Security.

As the an IHEDN fact sheet on this subject, The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines economic security as «the ability of a nation to protect and maintain the stability and growth of its economy by enhancing its resilience to both internal and external threats». This is the main subject of study for the Economic Defence and Security (ESD) major at the IHEDN national session, and a sector in which Japan has become particularly innovative.

From 16 to 23 May, students in the DSE major flew to Tokyo, Osaka and Kobe, visiting strategic institutions and companies involved in economic security, such as Otowa Electric Industries, the Riken Center (supercomputers) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

Since the early 2020s, the Empire of the Rising Sun has been steadily stepping up its efforts in this area, gradually building a framework for action that links government, business and innovation. The aim is not to close down the economy, but to reduce vulnerabilities deemed critical in a context of technological rivalry and tensions over supply chains. Tokyo is thus seeking to protect its strategic sectors without breaking with its model of open trade.

A number of recent events have prompted it to do so, including a dispute that led China to temporarily halt exports of rare earths in 2010, and successive disruptions to supply chains following the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and the war in Ukraine.

A DEDICATED MINISTRY SINCE 2021

In 2020, the Secretariat for National Security, the equivalent of France's SGDSN, created a unit dedicated to economic security. The following year, a ministry took charge of this sector (a world first), in addition to a council for the promotion of economic security chaired by the Prime Minister.

In 2022, the Japanese parliament passed a law officially called the «Law on the Promotion of National Security through Integrated Economic Measures» and referred to more simply as the «Law on the Promotion of Economic Security». The emphasis is on four key elements:

the supply of essential raw materials,
critical infrastructure security,
the development of cutting-edge technologies,
the introduction of a system of secret patents.

That same year, 2022, the new national security strategy also emphasised this notion. At the G7 summit in Hiroshima in 2023, the host country urged its partners to adopt the declaration «Economic Resilience and Economic Security».

As soon as she took office last October, Sanae Takaichi announced her intention to publish a renewed national security strategy by the end of 2026, and asked her cabinet to study the possibility of revising the 2022 law.

This economic security strategy, which has been in place since the beginning of the decade, is based on three levers.

THE STATE SUPPORTS THE RELOCATION OF CERTAIN TYPES OF PRODUCTION

The first is regulatory. Japan has tightened controls on foreign investment in sensitive sectors, to prevent outsiders from taking control of assets deemed essential to national sovereignty. This vigilance extends to critical technologies, cyber security and data, which have become resources as strategic as raw materials.

The second lever is industrial. The State supports the relocation or diversification of certain types of production, particularly those linked to semi-conductors, electronic components and rare materials. Public subsidies encourage companies to reduce their dependence on a single supplier, particularly when that supplier is located in an unstable geopolitical zone. This policy aims for resilience rather than total self-sufficiency.

The third lever is diplomatic. Japan is stepping up its partnerships with close allies, in particular the United States, but also with other Indo-Pacific economies and with the European Union and its member states. From 31 March to 2 April, the official visit of French President Emmanuel Macron led to the signing of a Franco-Japanese roadmap on critical minerals.

This strategy aims to secure supplies, share the costs of innovation and build more robust value chains. At the same time, Tokyo is supporting cooperation in the fields of energy, hydrogen and green technologies.

Japan's economic security policy is clearly directed against China, its main trading partner, with which it is heavily dependent, particularly on critical minerals and pharmaceutical products.

But this policy also generates a number of internal and external benefits for the country, as analysed by the IHEDN studies and research department :

In terms of government effectiveness: centralising action means we can adapt more quickly and improve efficiency.
Raising awareness: making economic security a political and institutional issue in its own right enables the government to raise awareness of risks and threats among the country's businesses.
In terms of deterrence: having dedicated organisations and therefore effective response tools can discourage Tokyo's adversaries from taking coercive economic action.

The main challenge over the next few years will be to maintain the coherence of the model while adapting it to changes in the regional and global geopolitical context. Japan must continue to innovate, diversify its dependencies and invest in its strategic capabilities, without losing the advantages of an open economy. It is in this search for balance that the uniqueness of the Japanese approach lies, as well as the fact that it sets an example for other countries.

To find out more

«The Japanese concept of economic security», IHEDN news sheet

L’article Le Japon, laboratoire de la sécurité économique contemporaine est apparu en premier sur L'IHEDN : Institut des hautes études de défense nationale.