Armament made in France? He is doing well, thank you for it. According to figures – still provisional – published Monday, February 9 by the General of Armaments (DGA), the French military sales reached 8.06 billion euros in 2014, an increase of 17.3% compared to 2013. The 2014 vintage is thus emerging as the second best year since 2000, second only to 2009, a year which saw the Brazilian mega-order for four Scorpene submarines. A total winded opposite view to the great French export performance, which again posted € 53.8 billion trade deficit in 2014.
Why performance? First, because Paris was picking what defense Areopagus called a “white elephant” controlling 3 billion in military equipment destined for Lebanon and financed by Saudi Arabia. A historic contract to more than one. Its size, first: it represents nearly one third of annual exports of French armament. His financial package, then: it was financed by a third country, a rare event. The extent of the equipment concerned, finally: France will give Lebanon both armored vehicles before (GVA) MkIII and light armored vehicles (LAV), patrol ships, Mistral missiles, cannons, Gazelle and Cougar, but also tactical UAV.
The effectiveness of the “France team”
The other reason for the insolent health of French defense exports is structural: the France team, which includes the President of the Republic, the Minister of Defense, DGA and industry, has regained effectiveness. The slaughter of Jean-Yves Le Drian was decisive to win, for example, the Falcon Eye spy satellite contract for Abu Dhabi, the nose and the beard of Lockheed Martin. Good relations of the French executive with Saudi Arabia have helped to complete the Lebanese agreement. “The Holland Le Drian duo is the best ever known France for arms sales for ages”, assured the end of 2014 an industry boss, yet hardly suspected of socialist sympathies.
However, France can still largely do better. Emblematic of French military equipment industry remain in shallow water next commands: the Rafale fighter obviously, but also the FREMM frigates, submarines Scorpene, the Tiger and NH90 helicopters, the VBCI armored. The A400M transport aircraft Airbus also expects its first export order, except Malaysia. The potential is huge: in 2010, the DGA even assured that the objective of France was to stabilize order intake of around 10 billion euros per year, a figure never reached Paris, in the recent history.
24 Rafale Egypt
Perhaps it will be for 2015, which could be a record vintage. There are of course the huge Egyptian order for 24 Rafale and FREMM frigate, whose funding is almost completed, and could reach 4.5 billion euros according to the Tribune. “The only thing we can tell you is that a smile,” assured the Delegate General for Armaments Laurent Collet-Billon February 9 press conference, ensuring “relatively optimistic”. Qatar remains interested in 24 Rafale, plus 12 options, and should confirm its letter of intent for 22 NH90 helicopters. India, if negotiations are tough, could finally sign the contract for 126 Rafale, for which the exclusive discussions have been ongoing since January 2012.
Paris also hopes to have its share the “El Dorado” Polish, although American competition, German or Italian is dreadful. Airbus Helicopters hopes to place 70 Caracal transport helicopters and 32 Tiger combat helicopters. DCNS hopes to oust his German rival TKMS with its Scorpene submarine equipped with the latest MdCN (naval cruise missile), the European equivalent of Tomahawk. MBDA, Thales tandem is an air defense missile contract with its SAMP / T system. If a grand slam seems difficult to envisage, Paris is confident to pocket at least one of these contracts.
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