While cyber defence is nowadays at the heart of concerns both at the state level and within international organisations, awareness of the importance of cyber threats is relatively recent. Like the majority of its nations, NATO has had to develop a cyber defence policy and equip itself with the means to implement it. With the initial objective of defending its information systems, the aim of this policy is to enable the Alliance to respond in a proportionate manner or to carry out preventive attacks in cyberspace.

The expansion and interconnection of information and communication systems have created new challenges for States, both in terms of development and security. To face these challenges, States, including France, have adopted different strategies, depending on their history and functioning, but also on the way cyberspace has been approached [2]. The French cyber defence strategy is characterized by several doctrinal and organizational characteristics that are specific to it. While the last two years have been particularly prolific at the doctrinal level, there has been continuity and coherence of action aimed at providing France with the means to ensure its security, and that of its citizens, in cyberspace, but also to project its power into it.

In September 2017, General Olivier Bonnet de Paillerets became the first cyber defence commander in French history. He succeeds Vice-Admiral Arnaud Coustillière, General Cyber Officer. The creation of the French Cyber Command (COMCYBER - attached to the Armed Forces Staff) and this new appointment are the logical continuation of the wish of theThe creation of the French Cyber Command (COMCYBER - attached to the Army Staff) and this new appointment are the logical continuation of the wish of former Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to see the emergence of a fourth autonomous army, alongside the Army, Navy and Air Force. While this fourth army is still a pipe dream, the creation of this command, comprising a reduced central headquarters and a few units, is the first stone that will underpin the new French cybernetic component of the Ministry of the Armed Forces (MINARM).

All of today's armed conflicts involve some form of combat in cyberspace. Cyber defence, an often little-known field, allows this digital combat which is today indispensable for domination. We are used to securing our information systems. Cyber defence is fundamentally another mission in a vast digital space. Thanks to action-oriented cyber intelligence, digital combat is planned and conducted by reproducing a known warrior dialectic between attackers and attacked.

Land forces are modernising under the impetus of the "In Touch" reform and the start of the deployment of the SCORPION programme. In the months and years to come, they will have access to major, extremely modern equipment, whether it be vehicles, weapons systems (AS) or operational information and communication systems (OICS). This has led to an overall in-depth reflection on the conduct of operations, between rupture and continuity, with a number of new opportunities offered by these new capabilities. In parallel with this major transformation of the land forces, other challenges have been identified in order to be anticipated now, including the cyber domain.

"Go to Rome and bring a message to Caesar. You will tell him, "All Gaul is occupied. " He will ask you: "All of it ? ». You will answer him: "All of it! "He'll understand. Goscinny

What is the point of looking back, in the age of info-valorisation and cyber, at a time when science and technology are still in their infancy? Is it the threat brandished by a Thucydides [1] of a "history that is only an eternal beginning" or the prospective vision of an Einstein [2] who claimed in his time : "I don't know what the weapons of the next world war will be, but those of the next one will be axes of stone", which can justify the interest of a glance in the rear-view mirror?

"What is well conceived is clearly stated, and the words to say it come easily."
Nicolas Boileau (1636 - 1711)

Cybernetics, cyber defence, cyber attack, cyber protection, cybersecurity: all terms using the prefix "cyber-". This prefix, which "serves to form many words relating to the use of the Internet network"[1], is however too often used alone, without any additions being associated with it to constitute a derived word with a specific meaning. This abusive use generates many questions, even misunderstandings, and harms the appropriation of terms that are nevertheless clear and intelligible.

A new stage in the Army's cyber defence

Uchrony is a fictitious reconstruction of history, telling the story as it might have happened. It is the tone set for this insert that dares an imaginary conversation between Lyautey and a young officer of our century. The Marshal's principles on the human factor are so relevant that they are fully in line with what is expected of today's land forces framework.