President Emmanuel Macron has appointed General Fabien Mandon, a veteran fighter pilot with a history of combat missions in Afghanistan, as the new chief of staff of France’s armed forces, marking a significant shift in the country’s military leadership amid growing geopolitical tensions.
General Mandon, 55, replaces General Thierry Burkhard at a time when France is preparing for what officials describe as an increasingly dangerous global security environment. Mandon’s experience includes several foreign deployments — notably in Afghanistan, where he flew combat missions from Tajikistan against Taliban targets.
“I killed in Afghanistan. And I know whom I killed: Taliban. I have the soul of a fighter,” Mandon told L’Express magazine in a recent interview, a statement that has already drawn attention abroad, particularly in Afghanistan, where the memory of international airstrikes remains politically and emotionally charged.
His appointment follows Macron’s renewed call for France to increase its defense spending and readiness in the face of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. “If you want to be feared, you must be powerful,” Macron said last week, urging the mobilization of all government sectors to bolster national defense.
Mandon, who previously served as Macron’s top military adviser at the Élysée Palace, brings extensive strategic and nuclear deterrence experience to the role. He also briefly commanded the Avord Air Base, which houses France’s nuclear-capable fighter jets.
The French Defense Ministry said the new appointment reflects a “strategic pivot” in France’s defense doctrine, moving away from asymmetric warfare — such as counterinsurgency operations in Africa and the Middle East — toward preparation for potential high-intensity state-on-state conflicts.
Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu described Mandon as a “combat-tested leader” whose career spans multiple conflict zones, including the Central African Republic, Chad, and Afghanistan. Lecornu noted that the general will take command at a time of “unprecedented security challenges.”
France’s involvement in Afghanistan ended over a decade ago, but the impact of its military operations there — particularly air campaigns targeting Taliban forces — continues to shape perceptions of Western powers in the region. Afghan officials and civil society groups have yet to publicly respond to Mandon’s remarks or appointment.
While France has increasingly focused its military resources on European security since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Mandon’s wartime credentials are seen as key to implementing Macron’s defense vision, which includes increased procurement of Rafale warplanes and the modernization of France’s strategic forces.
In announcing the appointment, Macron said he had “every confidence in General Fabien Mandon” to lead the country’s armed forces “in the face of major challenges.”
