France's external operations (Opex)

The Court notes that military external operations (Opex) carried out by France abroad (25 in nine main theatres of operation between 2012 and 2015) represent an increasing cost, which is not fully included in the initial budget law and is poorly assessed. Requested by the Senate Finance Committee, pursuant to Article 58-2° of the Organic Law on Finance Laws, this investigation also shows that the Opex represent a significant weight in the operational commitment of the armies and support directorates, which limits the operational preparation of the forces and reveals the fragilities and gaps in the support of the projected forces. The Court makes eight recommendations. This report is available on [the Court’s website] (https://www.ccomptes.fr/en/publications/les-operations-exterieures-de-la-france-opex). The published files correspond to the data that served as the basis for the preparation of the report.