Defense: Intelligence notes a rise in physical attacks against armament companies

France, world’s second largest arms exporter for the period 2021-2025, is being targeted with physical attacks. According to a recent study by the Defense Intelligence and Security Directorate (DRSD), the number of physical attacks has increased significantly, from 18% in 2024 to 24% in 2025. The entities of the Defense Industrial and Technological Base or defense research institutes have been targets of numerous intrusion attempts within their industrial facilities or laboratories.

To explain this increase, the institution highlights that last year was characterized by an increase in international political and economic tensions. This situation has had visible consequences for the arms industry and public defense research actors. This analysis aligns with statements made by Sébastien Lecornu, who mentioned during a parliamentary hearing in 2024 that the number of attacks targeting the defense sphere had significantly increased since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

The attacks are not solely attributed to the Ukraine war but are part of a broader context of increasing international tensions and heightened economic rivalries. The competition between arms manufacturers also contributes to the situation. These physical attacks take the form of attempted thefts of computers, technical equipment, drone flights, and reflect an intensification of espionage risks and sensitive data capture.

Military intelligence also points out acts of sabotage and vandalism targeting strategic infrastructure. Fires, tags, and paint splatters have been recorded near defense sites. Some actions have been claimed by ultraleftist groups amid tensions related to the Israel-Palestine conflict. These maneuvers continued in 2026 with a recent series of coordinated fires in Cher targeting power facilities supplying arms factories like KNDS or MBDA.