The 248th regional session of the IHEDN in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté opened on Tuesday, March 17 at the prefecture of Territoire de Belfort during a solemn inaugural day.
Focused on contemporary strategic challenges, this first week immediately laid the groundwork for demanding and collective reflection. Participants were able to combine field discoveries, analytical contributions, and initial exchanges.
The visits provided a particularly rich overview of the operational and industrial realities of the area. At the Luxeuil Air Base 116, everyone could gain insight: understanding the missions of the Air and Space Force, grasping the constraints, and comprehending the concrete demands of air defense within a base undergoing transformation. This immersion continued at the 35th Infantry Regiment and at Alstom, where the commitment of the forces and the vitality of the strategic industrial fabric were showcased in different yet complementary contexts.
The conferences structured the discussion around essential benchmarks for ongoing training: an overview of the region by INSEE, insights into the Military Programming Law and defense budget, and a roundtable dedicated to subcontracting in the defense industry.
This initial sequence allowed participants to discover themselves, start building connections, and begin committee work, initiating a dynamic that is expected to strengthen in the coming weeks.
They will meet in Besançon for a demanding week of residential training, during which the 46 participants will fully immerse themselves in the environment of our armed forces.
