Senior military officials in European countries are preparing for a potential confrontation with Russia in the form of a hybrid conflict or even direct combat, Le Figaro newspaper reported, citing military sources.
According to an unnamed French officer, the military is “preparing for the worst“.
The publication claims that a similar atmosphere reigns “in all European countries”, where the military is discussing various military scenarios. According to the publication, the probability of a full-scale conflict between Russia and NATO is assessed as low given the risks of nuclear escalation, but at the same time, the military is also considering the possibility of limited military actions on the territory of one of the European countries, as well as outside Europe and waging a hybrid war.
The article mentions Russia's hybrid attacks against Europe. As an example, the victory in the first round of the presidential elections in Romania of Calin Georgescu, who defeated the pro-European candidate Elena Lasconi, which raised concerns about the country's prospects for cooperation with NATO. The General Staff of the French Armed Forces even draws a parallel with the countries of the African Sahel, from where the French had to withdraw their military contingent amid the strengthening of cooperation between these countries with Russia.
Great Britain will purchase additional F-35 fighters from the United States, despite the concerns of European allies about the excessive dependence of defense on Washington, the Times newspaper reported, citing its sources.
London previously ordered 48 F-35B fighters for two aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy. Of these, 37 have already been received. According to the publication, the British authorities are now considering the possibility of purchasing classic F-35A fighters against the background of an increase in the country's military budget.
The aircraft are expected to partially replace the Eurofighter Typhoon fighters, the first of which entered service more than 20 years ago. The Royal Air Force plans to "retire" 49 Eurofighter Typhoon fighters, which are inferior in performance to the F-35. As the publication notes, the F-35A fighters are capable of carrying B61 nuclear bombs.
In December, The Daily Telegraph reported that the United States could deploy tactical nuclear weapons at the Lakenheath military base in Suffolk, eastern England, in the next few years.
The United Kingdom produces about 15% of the components of the F-35. London will not lose engineering skills after switching to American fighters, sources told The Times, as the country will continue to produce the Eurofighter Typhoon for export, especially to Saudi Arabia and Turkey.