Julian Moxon/PARIS
THE NEW HEAD OF the French armed forces has warned industry that forthcoming cuts in the defence budget will entail the cancellation of several major programmes.
Gen. Jean-Philippe Douin admits that "painful choices" will have to be made by French president Jacques Chirac, following the recommendations of the strategic committee now conducting a fundamental review of how France spends its defence money. Douin adds that, "following the American example" some other programmes will certainly be stretched.
The new defence plan will be ready by around April and is known to be focusing on the possible cancellation of programmes such as the NH90 transport helicopter and the Future Large Aircraft. As a result of such decisions, Douin says that "...neither the armed forces nor the defence industry will escape a profound restructuring". While he believes that Europe should maintain across-the-board competence in all areas, he says that, "...that is not the case for France".
Five working groups in the strategic committee are looking at adapting nuclear forces to the post-Cold War environment; the composition of conventional forces; manpower; re-organisation of the defence industry; and administrative procedures. Defence minister Charles Millon will receive the results in January 1996, and the decisions, which follow will directly affect the 1997 budget.
Douin voices the often-heard complaint about programme duplication in the French and European defence industries, while US industry restructures to become more efficient. "If, in 2015, Europe is still operating at the level of the Tornado and Rafale, when the USA will have developed its unique JAST [Joint Advanced Strike Technology] programme, which unites a number of companies, we shall be dead," he warns.
He denies rumours that the Rafale will be cancelled, however. "It is impossible to stop programmes like the Rafale. In the strategic committee everyone is working on the hypothesis that it will continue," he asserts.
Source: Flight International
