French Budget Plan Applies Brakes to Rafale, A400M Deliveries
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Outlined by defence minister Jean Yves Le-Drian on 2 August, the suggested spending plan for 2014-19 would slow deliveries of the Rafale to a combined 26 aircraft for the French air force and navy. While a significant reduction from the 11 examples currently being produced per annum, the fall could be accommodated if potential export sales are finalised. A Dassault-led team is still negotiating the terms for a planned 126-unit order for India, with the type also on offer to nations including Brazil, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates.
If the domestic build rate is reduced as suggested, France would have received 152 of the 180 Rafales ordered so far by the end of 2019.
Eurocopter would deliver 42 NH Industries NH90s and 16 HAD-standard Tiger attack helicopters, and upgrade earlier HAP-configuration examples of the latter. Twelve General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Reaper unmanned air vehicles would also be introduced, with the first potentially to be delivered in late 2013, with 14 tactical UAVs also to be bought. Paris will, meanwhile, continue to give priority to an Anglo-French project to design an operational unmanned combat air system for longer-term use.
Guided weapons purchases would include 532 Sagem AASM air-to-surface missiles and 250 cruise missiles, the plan says, with development and qualification work on the Anglo-French FASGW/ANL anti-ship missile to be completed by MBDA. However, production of the latter system would not start until France's next planning law period.
Worth €190 billion ($254 billion), the proposed six-year spending package will be examined by French parliamentarians following the summer recess, with a final version to be adopted before 31 December.
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