Lieutenant Sarah Moreau squinted at her laptop screen, the glow reflecting off her tired eyes. It was 3 AM at the ORION 26 command post, and she’d been coordinating supply runs for eighteen hours straight. Around her, dozens of officers worked with quiet intensity, their voices mixing into a low hum of strategic chatter.
What struck her most wasn’t the advanced technology or the massive scale of France’s largest military exercise since the Cold War. It was a weathered manual sitting on her desk—pages yellowed with age, margins filled with handwritten notes from generations of soldiers. This document, born in 1719, was quietly orchestrating every move across the training grounds.
“People think modern warfare is all about drones and satellites,” Sarah muttered to her colleague. “But we’re still following rules written when Napoleon was in diapers.”
When Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Warfare
The ORION 26 military exercise represents France’s most ambitious training operation in decades, involving over 20,000 personnel and equipment worth billions of euros. Yet at its heart lies something unexpected: a 305-year-old military doctrine that has survived every major conflict since the early 18th century.
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The “Règlement sur le service en campagne”—France’s field service regulations—might look like museum material, but it’s anything but obsolete. This living document has been continuously updated through three centuries of warfare, absorbing lessons from Waterloo to World War II to modern peacekeeping missions.
“It’s like having 305 years of military experience condensed into a single framework,” explains Colonel Philippe Durand, one of the exercise coordinators. “Every generation of soldiers has contributed something to this knowledge base.”
During ORION 26, this ancient wisdom manifests in surprisingly modern ways. The regulations dictate everything from how quickly units can relocate to avoid enemy surveillance to the precise order of evacuating wounded personnel under fire.
Breaking Down the Numbers Behind ORION 26
The scale of this military exercise is staggering, involving multiple branches of the French military and international partners. Here’s what makes ORION 26 the largest French military exercise since the end of the Cold War:
| Personnel | Over 20,000 troops |
| Duration | 3 weeks of intensive training |
| Geographic Scope | Multiple training sites across southern France |
| Equipment Value | Estimated at €3.5 billion |
| Aircraft Involved | 150+ helicopters and fighter jets |
| Armored Vehicles | 300+ tanks and personnel carriers |
The exercise scenarios draw heavily from the 305-year-old doctrine, adapting traditional military principles to contemporary threats. Key focus areas include:
- Rapid deployment and mobility tactics
- Multi-domain operations combining air, land, and cyber warfare
- Coalition warfare with NATO and EU partners
- Urban combat and peacekeeping scenarios
- Logistical coordination under hostile conditions
“What amazes me is how relevant these old principles remain,” says Major Elena Rodriguez, a logistics specialist participating in ORION 26. “The technology has changed completely, but the fundamental challenges of moving people and equipment efficiently haven’t.”
How Ancient Military Doctrine Shapes Modern Strategy
The influence of France’s centuries-old military regulations extends far beyond dusty archives. During ORION 26, participants witness firsthand how historical lessons translate into modern tactical advantages.
Take the doctrine’s emphasis on “controlled dispersion”—a concept developed during the Napoleonic Wars to minimize casualties from artillery bombardments. Today, the same principle helps units avoid detection by enemy drones and satellite surveillance.
The regulations’ detailed protocols for supply chain management, refined during World War I trench warfare, now inform how the French military maintains operations in hostile cyber environments where traditional communication networks might be compromised.
“We’re essentially stress-testing 305 years of accumulated knowledge,” explains General Marie-Claire Dubois, ORION 26’s overall commander. “Every procedure in that manual represents lessons learned the hard way, often at great cost in human lives.”
The exercise reveals how this historical foundation supports cutting-edge military capabilities:
- AI-assisted decision-making systems built on traditional command structures
- Autonomous weapons platforms operating within classical rules of engagement
- Cyber warfare units following adapted versions of centuries-old intelligence protocols
- Space-based surveillance integrated with traditional ground reconnaissance methods
What ORION 26 Means for France’s Military Future
Beyond the impressive displays of military hardware, ORION 26 serves a deeper strategic purpose. France is preparing for an increasingly uncertain global security environment, where traditional threats combine with new challenges like cyber warfare and climate-related conflicts.
The exercise demonstrates how France’s military doctrine—refined over three centuries—remains surprisingly adaptable. Young officers learn to apply historical principles to scenarios their predecessors never imagined: defending against deepfake disinformation campaigns, coordinating with AI systems, and operating in contested space environments.
This blend of ancient wisdom and modern innovation has practical implications for French citizens and international allies. A more effective military means better homeland security, more credible deterrence against potential aggressors, and stronger contributions to NATO and UN peacekeeping missions.
“The goal isn’t just to win hypothetical battles,” notes Defense Analyst Thomas Leclerc. “It’s about maintaining peace through demonstrated competence and readiness.”
For France’s European neighbors, ORION 26 signals renewed commitment to collective security. The exercise includes units from several NATO countries, strengthening interoperability and shared tactical understanding that could prove crucial in future crises.
The economic impact extends beyond defense spending. Military exercises like ORION 26 drive innovation in civilian sectors, from logistics software to medical technology. Many breakthrough technologies developed for military use eventually benefit ordinary citizens through commercial applications.
Lessons That Echo Through Time
As ORION 26 enters its final week, participants from generals to privates share a common observation: the fundamentals of military effectiveness haven’t changed as much as the technology suggests. Leadership, logistics, communication, and adaptability remain paramount—just as they were in 1719.
The 305-year-old doctrine serves as more than historical curiosity; it’s a reminder that institutional memory and accumulated wisdom remain invaluable even in an age of rapid technological change. While future conflicts may involve space warfare and quantum computing, they’ll still require the basic human skills that French military thinkers began codifying over three centuries ago.
This unique combination of historical depth and modern capability makes France’s military one of the world’s most experienced and adaptable fighting forces. ORION 26 isn’t just training for tomorrow’s wars—it’s demonstrating how the lessons of yesterday remain surprisingly relevant today.
FAQs
What makes ORION 26 different from other military exercises?
ORION 26 is the largest French military exercise since the Cold War ended, involving over 20,000 personnel and incorporating lessons from a 305-year-old military doctrine that has been continuously updated.
How old is the military doctrine being used in ORION 26?
The French field service regulations date back to 1719, making them 305 years old, though they’ve been regularly updated to incorporate lessons from every major conflict since then.
Who participates in the ORION 26 exercise?
The exercise includes over 20,000 French military personnel plus units from several NATO and European partner countries, testing interoperability and shared tactical approaches.
Where does ORION 26 take place?
The exercise occurs across multiple training sites in southern France, using diverse terrain to simulate various combat and peacekeeping scenarios.
Why is this exercise important for French national security?
ORION 26 tests France’s military readiness for modern threats while strengthening cooperation with allies, contributing to both homeland defense and international peacekeeping capabilities.
How does ancient military wisdom apply to modern warfare?
Historical principles like controlled dispersion, supply chain management, and command structure remain relevant but are adapted for new technologies like drones, cyber warfare, and space-based systems.