France Conducts Daytime Nuclear Drill “Poker 2025” With Simulated Strike Missions

On March 25, France began a new round of nuclear deterrence exercises under the codename Poker 2025, testing the readiness of its air-based strategic forces.

Unlike previous iterations typically held at night, this exercise took place during daylight hours, with a significant number of assets, including six A330 MRTT aerial refueling aircraft, observed in the sky.

According to Air & Cosmos, the drills simulate a scenario where the country is split into two zones—hostile and allied. One side is tasked with breaching enemy air defenses and executing simulated nuclear strikes on designated targets, while the opposing side must defend key strategic locations using simulated surface-to-air and air-to-air missile launches.

The exercise included Rafale B fighter jets equipped with mock-ups of ASMP-A air-launched nuclear missiles. These aircraft, accompanied by support units such as Mirage fighters, E-3F AWACS, and A330 MRTTs, flew from their bases to staging areas in Brittany before beginning a simulated strike mission.

The scenario involved a high-altitude flight path around France, entering contested airspace over the Mediterranean.

During the drills, French air defense systems, including SAMP/T complexes, played the role of adversary forces. The simulation involved electronic warfare interference against radar and missile systems, as well as mock SCALP cruise missile launches against command infrastructure.

The goal was to allow Rafale B jets to penetrate the defended zone at low altitude and reach simulated launch points.

The ASMP-A missile, equipped with a thermonuclear warhead of 100 to 300 kilotons and an operational range of up to 500 kilometers, was not actually launched during the exercise. Instead, mass-dimensional replicas were used, which can be safely jettisoned if needed.

Live launches of the ASMP-A or its modernized version, ASMP-R, are conducted only occasionally. The last such launch took place on May 22, 2024.

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The Poker exercises are conducted quarterly and serve to assess the operational readiness of aircrews, refine command procedures, and evaluate the interoperability of nuclear delivery systems. The last daytime Poker drill was held in April 2021.

France’s nuclear arsenal remains politically and technically independent, allowing it to conduct such exercises and modernize its forces without requiring approval from allies, including the United States.

While the air-based component plays a tactical role, France’s primary nuclear deterrent remains its fleet of four Le Triomphant-class submarines, each capable of carrying 16 M51 ballistic missiles with multiple warheads.

Earlier, The Telegraph reported that France is considering the deployment of nuclear-capable fighter jets in Germany as a strategic signal to Russia and a move to bolster European defense amid uncertainty over the future of US military support. French officials have assessed the feasibility of such a deployment, which would operate independently of NATO and could increase pressure on the UK to strengthen its own commitments.