Julian Moxon/PARIS
DAIMLER-BENZ Aerospace (DASA) president Manfred Bischoff has threatened a possible collapse of the missiles/satellites agreement between Aerospatiale and DASA, if France does not honour its side of the accord forged between German chancellor Helmut Kohl and French president Jacques Chirac in 1995.
In an interview, in French financial daily Les Echos, made on the eve of the French defence-budget debate on 13 May, Bischoff warns that, "...if the consolidation of the French industry translates into a reinforcement of France in a dominant position in Europe, that will lead to French isolation rather than European consolidation".
Kohl and Chirac were due to meet on 10 May to hammer out their differences on defence co-operation, in the hope of preserving French participation in several joint programmes.
Of greatest concern is the future of the Tiger attack-helicopter and NH90 transport-helicopter programmes, both of which face severe cuts by the French as part of the Government's Draconian efforts to reduce public spending. Some reports indicate that the NH90 purchase may be reduced to as little as 50 aircraft, against the originally stated requirement for 220, while the Tiger acquisition could be cut to less than 100, from 215.
While "mutual confidence" is all that has been damaged, Bischoff says that there is "danger" ahead if too many co-operative programmes are cut. On the satellite half of the recent accord, he says that Germany is still receiving attractive proposals from US manufacturer Lockheed-Martin on co-operation on a military-observation satellite.
Source: Flight International
