Before a trip to Châteauroux on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the invitation of the Center-Val de Loire regional association of the National Defense Higher Studies Institute, Army Corps General Bruno Baratz, commander of future combat, answered questions from La Nouvelle République.
“The future battle is shaping up how?”
General Bruno Baratz, commander of future combat: “The robotization of the battlefield will intensify. There is a new balance to be found between very high technology, which ensures our superiority, with less technological tools [cheaper] but easier to industrialize. This is observed in Iran or elsewhere. It is also what the Russians are doing in Ukraine, with waves of drones used as saturation weapons to create breaches and then fire missiles. It is important to have industrial production capabilities in France.”
“Can ethical limits be set on tomorrow’s battle or is it an endless race?”
“It is necessary to maintain a strong ethical line, based on the French humanistic approach. Because the battle is one thing, but living after the battle is also important. When I was in command in the Sahel, we had set up regular points where men were invited to discuss abnormal behaviors they had noticed among partners, or to reflect on practical cases, in order to have an ethical framework. This is something that is essential to work on and must not be violated, at the risk of serious psychological problems. The lines will inevitably evolve over time, with the evolution of our own societies. But the French do not fight like Americans, nor like Germans.”
“Where will the war be fought, tomorrow?”
“Due to the transparency of the battlefields, because of the multiplicity of different sensors, we now see everything happening in the combat zone. To escape this, belligerents are infiltrating urban areas, even underground like Hamas, in order to avoid being seen. The trend is therefore more towards urban combat. The city will remain a top priority in the warfare of tomorrow.”
“What role for nuclear weapons in future combat?”
“It remains the cornerstone of national defense.” (Context: Discussion on the future of combat technologies and ethical considerations. Fact Check: General Bruno Baratz is discussing the use of advanced technologies, ethical considerations, and the evolving nature of warfare.)
